Deep into the deciding-set tie-breaker in Sunday’s Wimbledon final, Carlos Alcaraz was a mere two points away from the title. Just 20 minutes earlier, he had been even closer – with three Championship points on his serve – yet panicked in the most unlikely fashion. Novak Djokovic lurked in the background, ready to pounce as his opponent looked ready to lapse.
Alcaraz flipped that script. Leading 5-4 in the ‘breaker, he followed up a big serve with the most outrageous forehand drop shot winner. Match point came, and this time he closed out.
Alcaraz had outplayed and overwhelmed Djokovic in all aspects, but it was that moment of nerveless chutzpah – against the grain of all regular sporting convention – that defined his triumph. It showed how he stayed true to the audacity that has come to define him, but also further signified just how dominant he was in the final.
An outrageous rally and sliding Alcaraz finish 😮💨
This point had to be today’s Play of the Day, presented by @BarclaysUK#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/5TK6siGB60
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 14, 2024
Djokovic problem-solves to no effect
Dare and creativity may be Alcaraz’s hallmark, but the basis of his performance on Sunday was set by his unwavering dominance from the baseline.
Not only was Alcaraz serving and returning unusually well, the weight of the ball coming from his side of the net from both forehand and backhand, and the angles he was finding to move Djokovic from side to side – testing a knee that had been operated on 40 days ago – had the Serb panicked. For long, a commander of the baseline himself, the ageing great problem-solved.
Djokovic began stepping into the baseline and constructing the points to finish them off at the net. It was a fair strategy, to close Alcaraz’s angles, but it came outdone. Anything other than perfection was punished. One step too slow to come to the net, volleys didn’t make it to the other side of the court; volleys left slightly short, Alcaraz got to them; volleys not closing down enough angles, Alcaraz found an impossible passing shot.
Astounding Alcaraz 🤩
The Spaniard defends his #Wimbledon title with a stunning straight sets victory over Novak Djokovic, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/bEbT9HwMZh
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 14, 2024
Djokovic came to the net a whopping 53 times in this match and won just 27 of those points. In the first two sets, he only converted 9 out of 22 net forays. The Spaniard had him outfoxed.
Perfect game
If there were an example to show just how hard it is to stop Alcaraz when he is at his very best, even for a legend like Djokovic, it came in the ninth game of the third set.
Sample this: a first serve returned, and a 106mph down the line forehand winner smashed. A drive-volley passing shot to set up break point. A second serve was punished with a big return, followed by a cross- court backhand passing shot to win the game.
Djokovic raised his level and made virtually no mistakes; but Alcaraz would serve for the Championship.
He may have wobbled and had to do it the hard way, but Sunday’s performance was a significant stride forward for the young Spaniard. For him to produce such a commanding performance, at this stage against such a resilient opponent, not only underlines his status as the best player in the world, but also shows just how much of an appetite he has for the big stage. He simply does not waver from his attacking sensibilities, and is used to raising his level to match the occasion.
He has just won the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back. And at 21, there is more to come.
