NEW DELHI: Carlos Alcaraz marked a pivotal moment in men’s tennis by ending Novak Djokovic‘s illustrious Wimbledon reign with an electrifying 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory on Sunday, claiming his first-ever title at the All England Club.
World number one Alcaraz displayed remarkable resilience, bouncing back after dropping the first set and saving a set point in the second.
The match concluded with an intense battle lasting four hours and 42 minutes on Centre Court.
At just 20 years old, Alcaraz became Wimbledon’s third youngest men’s champion, adding to his previous major victory at the US Open last year. This result has ignited discussions about a potential generational shift, as Djokovic, aged 36, now carries the torch of the ‘Big Three’ in the absence of retired Roger Federer and potentially sidelined Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open and French Open champion, had aimed to equal Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles and match Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam victories.

Alcaraz’s triumph marks a significant milestone, considering that he was just a few months away from turning five when Djokovic won his first major at the Australian Open in 2008.

For Djokovic, this Wimbledon final was his ninth appearance on Centre Court and 35th in a Grand Slam tournament, while Alcaraz experienced only his second major final after winning the US Open. Djokovic had previously enjoyed an undefeated streak on Centre Court since his 2013 final defeat to Andy Murray, showcasing impeccable precision in the first set.

However, Alcaraz overcame his initial struggles and secured a crucial break to take a 2-1 lead in the second set. Djokovic swiftly responded with a break of his own but faced a set point in a tense tie-break.
Alcaraz capitalized on the opportunity, leveling the contest with a remarkable backhand winner, ending Djokovic’s streak of 15 consecutive won tie-breaks at Grand Slam events.

In the third set, Alcaraz continued his momentum, breaking Djokovic in the opening game and persevering through a grueling fifth game, which lasted 26 minutes and saw 13 deuces.

Djokovic saved multiple break points but eventually succumbed on the seventh, allowing Alcaraz to take a 2-1 set lead. The Spaniard consolidated his advantage with a swift service game and broke Djokovic once again, leaving the defending champion dispirited and trailing by two sets to one.

Tempers flared as Djokovic engaged in a dispute with umpire Fergus Murphy regarding the shot clock monitoring. Additionally, he further alienated the crowd by taking an extended toilet break before the fourth set. Surprisingly, the break worked in Djokovic’s favor as he broke Alcaraz twice, leveling the match with the Spaniard’s seventh double fault in the final.
In the decisive fifth set, Djokovic missed a golden opportunity to break for a 2-0 lead, allowing Alcaraz to capitalize and break for a 2-1 advantage. A frustrated Djokovic received another code violation for smashing his racket against the net post, and subsequently found himself trailing 3-1. Determined and resolute, Alcaraz sealed his remarkable triumph when Djokovic sent a forehand into the net, solidifying his place in history.