Carlos Alcaraz dominated seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets to retain his Wimbledon title on Sunday, marking a significant shift in men’s tennis. The Spanish third seed delivered a powerful and precise performance to win 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), securing the fourth Grand Slam of his young career.
With this victory, Alcaraz matches the Open Era record for the most Grand Slams won by the age of 21, joining legends Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg, and Mats Wilander. He also becomes the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon consecutively.
Djokovic, 37, recently underwent knee surgery and was aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title. However, he struggled under the Centre Court sunshine as Alcaraz relentlessly attacked from the baseline and executed his signature drop shots.
The match began with a thrilling 14-minute game in which Alcaraz capitalized on his fifth break point. The Spaniard quickly found his rhythm on serve and secured a double break when Djokovic double-faulted in the fifth game. Djokovic, playing in his 10th Wimbledon final, managed to hold serve to close the gap to 5-2 but then netted the ball to concede the first set.
In the second set, Alcaraz maintained his momentum, breaking Djokovic in the first game and withstanding pressure on his own serve to lead 2-0. Another backhand error by Djokovic in the seventh game gave Alcaraz a break point, and a double fault put the defending champion up 5-2, nearly securing a two-set lead.
The Centre Court crowd, including Catherine, Princess of Wales, watched in astonishment as hopes for a competitive match dwindled. Djokovic showed some resilience early in the third set, fending off break points and starting to find his form. However, Alcaraz broke serve in the ninth game with a precise passing shot, moving ahead 5-4.
Alcaraz then served for the championship but squandered three match points, including a missed drive volley, allowing Djokovic to break for the first time in the match. Composing himself, Alcaraz forced a tie-break and secured the title with his fourth championship point after Djokovic’s forehand went wide.
This defeat means Djokovic has yet to beat a top-ten player this year and remains without a title. He now shifts his focus to the Paris Olympics, aiming to win gold for the first time.
