Wimbledon men's final preview: Djokovic still favourite over Alcaraz
This was primarily due to the guaranteed competitiveness of the Paris contest, where the underdog Novak Djokovic (36) could be relied upon to fiercely compete under any circumstances without easily surrendering.
Now, it is Carlos Alcaraz's (20) opportunity to showcase his fighting spirit as the underdog on his least preferred surface and create a truly deserving final.
The best possible outcome for any player following a highly demoralizing and bitter defeat on a grand stage is to have a swift rematch on a similar platform to seek redemption. Carlos Alcaraz has provided himself with precisely that opportunity at Wimbledon this Sunday. The defeat at the French Open must have been difficult for him to accept because it wasn't a matter of being outperformed in tennis skills, but rather being outmatched in terms of experience and physical conditioning.
In fact, Alcaraz managed to regain control of the match during the second set and carried the momentum into the third set, but unfortunately, his body failed him from that point onward.
The intensity of their semi-final clash, along with the mounting pressure and expectations on Alcaraz, eventually took a toll on him, leading to full-body cramps as the match progressed.
“It is not easy to play against Novak. Of course a legend of our sport. If someone says that he gets into the court with no nerves playing against Novak, he lies. Of course, playing a semi-final of a grand slam, you have a lot of nerves, but even more with facing Novak. That’s the truth. Next time that I’m gonna face Novak, I hope to be different, but the nerves will be there," he said after their recent duel in Paris.
The young Spaniard accepted the setback with resilience and began preparing himself for a potential rematch against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. Alongside his efforts on the court, where he won all 11 matches during the grass swing, he strategically shifted the pressure onto the Serbian player.
"Obviously Djokovic, together with Federer, is one of the greatest players ever seen on a grass court. So, it’s already going to be complicated. I am not saying that I am not capable of beating Djokovic, but I think I have less chances than on other surfaces," he said before playing his first match on grass this year.
Novak Djokovic, known for embracing significant challenges and delivering his best performances under high-pressure circumstances, showed no hesitation in admitting that he sees himself as the favourite.
Prior to his semi-final match against Jannik Sinner a few days ago, he issued a strong warning to the rest of the field, stating, "I don't want to sound arrogant, but of course, I would consider myself the favourite. Judging by the results I had in my career here, the previous four occasions of Wimbledon that I won, and reaching another semi-final, so I do consider myself favourite, yes."
Novak Djokovic won only ten more points than Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. However, his ability to outperform his opponents in crucial moments allowed him to secure a comfortable straight-set victory with a score of 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.
With this win, he extended his remarkable winning streak in tiebreakers at the Grand Slam level to 15 (all in 2023).
His prowess in tiebreakers has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in his dominance at Grand Slam tournaments this year. The 36-year-old has showcased a distinct level of excellence in this particular aspect, setting himself apart from the competition.
In a couple of matches at both the French Open and Wimbledon, Djokovic and his opponents battled fiercely on even terms until reaching the tiebreaker. It is at this critical juncture that Djokovic delivered a decisive blow, effectively sealing victory and leaving his opponents with little opportunity for a comeback.
In contrast to the semi-final match against Carlos Alcaraz in Paris last month, the Serbian will find himself under tremendous pressure at Wimbledon this time. While Djokovic typically embraces and excels in high-pressure situations, he is not immune to the impact of nerves.
In recent years, he has experienced instances where nerves got the better of him. This was evident in his defeats against Daniil Medvedev in the 2021 US Open finals and Alexander Zverev in the Tokyo Olympics semi-finals, both matches where he was vying for the calendar and career golden slam.
The former world number one is not only considered the clear frontrunner to win this match, boasting a 7-1 record in Wimbledon finals, but he also aims to equal Roger Federer's remarkable record of winning eight Wimbledon titles.
Additionally, Djokovic is striving to maintain his pursuit of the calendar grand slam, a remarkable achievement he is determined to accomplish before his eventual retirement.
Carlos Alcaraz gained a significant boost in confidence and morale by securing an impressive victory just before facing Novak Djokovic. He displayed complete dominance over former world number one Daniil Medvedev, outscoring the Russian by 23 points in a commanding 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 triumph. In addition to facing two top-10 players as his opponent Novak Djokovic, the Spaniard also got the better of the former runner-up Matteo Berrettini, and a player in the form of his life, Nicolas Jarry.
Grass can be considered the top seed's least preferred surface, but that perception arises only due to the exceptionally high standards he has set for himself on other surfaces. Currently, he boasts an impressive 11-match winning streak on grass and holds a career win-loss record of 15 wins to 4 losses on this surface.
His achievement of reaching the Wimbledon finals in only his third appearance in the tournament is truly remarkable.
In comparison, Novak Djokovic played his first championship match at Wimbledon in only his seventh attempt, providing context to the significance of this accomplishment.
The 20-year-old Alcaraz, who made history as the youngest slam champion at the US Open last year since Rafael Nadal's victory at the French Open in 2005, inevitably invites comparisons to his idol.
Similarly, Nadal was also exactly 20 years old when he played his first title-deciding clash at Wimbledon, in what was his third appearance in the tournament, and lost to the defending champion Roger Federer in four sets way back in 2006.
Head-to-head: Tied at 1-1 (both on clay). It would take a performance of a lifetime from any player to end Novak Djokovic's remarkable decade-long unbeaten streak on the centre court at Wimbledon. Carlos Alcaraz, without the burden of the favourite tag, may have a better opportunity to challenge Djokovic closely.
Unlike their previous encounter in Paris, this match is anticipated to be highly competitive, and it wouldn't be surprising if Alcaraz becomes the first player, aside from Roger Federer, to take Djokovic to a decisive set in the Wimbledon finals.