There were plenty of questions coming into this Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. How healthy was Djokovic’s knee? Does Alcaraz’s game match up on grass? Will fatigue factor in? After all, Djokovic has only played three sets in the last week, while Alcaraz had played 12. What would this final bring?
Unfortunately for neutral tennis fans, those questions were answered quickly. And not in a fun way.
Carlos Alcaraz def. Novak Djokovic 62 62 76
The first game of the match was nervy and awkward. Both players hit the ball hard, but neither hit it well. A marathon game that lasted over 12 minutes, it ended with Alcaraz breaking the Djokovic serve. And that looked to set the tone for the entire match.
Alcaraz followed up the break with another one in Djokovic’s next service game, and in the blink of an eye he had claimed the first set 62. The second set went much the same way, only without the opening game drama. Alcaraz got an easy break to open the set, then picked up another break along the way for a second 62 set.
When Alcaraz had break point chances in the opening game of the third set, it all looked over. However, the 24-time Major champion didn’t give up that easily. Djokovic saved four break points, giving himself a chance to turn the match around. The Serbian did fight much harder throughout the third set, even earning a break point opportunity at 3-2, but he couldn’t pull through. Alcaraz eventually earned the break with an incredible game and served for the match at 5-4. Djokovic broke back as Alcaraz finally showed some nerves, but the Spaniard won the tiebreak to take his second Wimbledon title, and fourth Grand Slam overall.
How the Match Was Won
In all honesty, it was completely one-sided. Alcaraz played better from the baseline, hit the ball harder and cleaner, and just made far more important shots. The Spaniard hit some absurd winners on the run, as well as clean winners from everywhere behind the baseline. Djokovic worked the points pretty well when he could, though his volleys let him down too much. Then again, few of his volleys were winners, as Alcaraz always seemed to get to them.
In the end, this was not a battle of equals. Djokovic’s movement wasn’t perfect, and the groundstrokes therefore weren’t on par with the Spaniard’s. He did play better in the third set fora a bit, but even then he was barely equaling Alcaraz. When his game dropped a tiny bit in the ninth game of the set, it was all over. The Spaniard hit four winners in that game to lock down the match.
What’s Next?
People will ask if Djokovic is done, and it’s a fair question. His current streak of three straight Majors without a title is his longest drought since 2018, and he hasn’t looked fully healthy at all this year. Then again, perhaps that’s the explanation. Maybe if the Serbian can come back healthy he has more Majors in him, but for now things look a bit bleak.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is on top of the world. He completes his first “Channel Slam” and will move into the summer as a favorite for most big events, even though he is technically only World #2 still. But for this young Spaniard, the sky is the limit.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
