London: Carlos Alcaraz successfully defended his Wimbledon title, defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets to claim his fourth Grand Slam crown.
The 21-year-old Spaniard showcased his extraordinary talent and resilience, emerging victorious with a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) triumph at the iconic All England Club.
This victory marks Alcaraz’s back-to-back Grand Slam success, following his French Open win last month. At just 21, Alcaraz now joins Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Djokovic in winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.
The highly anticipated match was a rematch of last year's marathon men’s singles final, where Alcaraz had narrowly edged out Djokovic in a thrilling five-set battle. This time, however, Alcaraz was in control from the outset. He dominated the first game and never looked back, delivering a performance for the ages against the seasoned Serbian.
Alcaraz's brilliance was evident as he broke Djokovic's serve twice in both the first and second sets. His consistency and precision were key, enabling him to maintain the upper hand throughout the match. The Spaniard’s performance was a masterclass in tennis, marked by a series of classy winners and delightful touches at the net. His serve was impeccable, and his ability to stay composed under pressure was unparalleled.
The third set brought late drama as Alcaraz let three match points slip away while serving at 40-0. Djokovic seized the opportunity to revive his hopes, pushing the set into a tense tie-breaker. However, Alcaraz, undeterred by the lapse, regained his focus and clinched the match in style. His two-hour, 27-minute victory made him just the second man in the Open Era to win his first four Grand Slam finals, following in the footsteps of Roger Federer, who won his first seven.
Djokovic, who had undergone knee surgery in early June, made a remarkable comeback to reach his record-extending 37th major final at Wimbledon. Despite his efforts, he was unable to match the intensity and consistency of the inspired Alcaraz. The Serbian’s performance, though valiant, lacked the energy he is known for, and he struggled to find his rhythm against the relentless Spaniard. IANS
Alcaraz: CAREER TO DATE:
* Made his ATP main-draw debut aged 16 at the 2020 Rio Open.
* In 2021 Alcaraz became the youngest man in the professional era to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals.
* Became the first teenager to beat compatriot Rafa Nadal and Serbian Djokovic, who head the list of men's Grand Slam winners, in the same tournament — and on consecutive days — to win his second ATP Masters 1000 title at the 2022 Madrid Open.
* Outclassed Norwegian Casper Ruud to clinch his first major title at the 2022 U.S. Open, becoming the youngest champion at Flushing Meadows since American Pete Sampras (19) in 1990. That year, at 19 years, four months and six days, he became the youngest world number one in ATP rankings history.
* Went on to win nine titles as a teenager, behind only Bjorn Borg, Nadal, Mats Wilander, Boris Becker and Andre Agassi.
* Defeated Djokovic to win the 2023 Wimbledon. He became the first man outside the 'Big Four' of Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray to win at the All England Club since 2002.
* Beat Alexander Zverev in the 2024 French Open final to become the youngest man, at 21, to win Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces -- hard, grass and clay.
* Beat Djokovic again at the 2024 Wimbledon final, taking his Grand Slam final win-loss record to 4-0. He became just the sixth man in the professional era to win the French Open-Wimbledon double in the same year after Rod Laver, Borg, Nadal, Federer and Djokovic.
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