Dominant Alcaraz the guv’nor of grass as he eases past Djokovic to retain title
It wasn’t a final for the ages but in Carlos Alcaraz we may just be witnessing a player for all ages.
Alcaraz, just 21, retained his Wimbledon title in dominant fashion and, worryingly for the rest, it doesn’t look like his game is close to complete. He was very good but how good he could still be, that’s a story still left unwritten.
If the early stages of his Wimbledon defence had looked a little rusty, this 6-2 6-2 7-6 final win over Novak Djokovic was a gleaming example of his allcourt game. “I don’t know what more i could have done ,” admitted Djokovic .“I was inferior on the court; he played every single shot better than id id. he played some very complete tennis and he had it all.
“I tried to push him but it wasn’t meant to be. From the very beginning, you could see he was at least half a step better than i am in every way.”
After two decades in which we’ve argued about who was the greatest, Roger, Rafa or Novak, Alcaraz could take that debate and own it. What he might achieve, if he stays fit and healthy, is almost limit less.
This win makes him the youngest player to win four Slam titles; Nadal was 11 months older when he did it but those wins all came on clay. His compatriot has won on every surface and now heads to the Olympics as favourite for gold
too. “I know very few players have done this, it’s unbelievable,” said Alcaraz, who becomes only the sixth male player to win the French Open and wimbledon in the same year; the king of clay and the guv’nor of grass.
“I’ve heard all the stats that I’ve achieved, I honestly try not to think about it too much,” he insisted. “It’s a great start to my career but I need to keep going and keep building my path.
“At the end of myc are eri want to sit at the same table as the big guys, that’s what motivates me, it doesn’t matter if I’ve won four Grand Slams at 21 if I don’t keep going. I want to win a lot of them.
“I’m just happy with the work that i’ m doing, i’ m very proud of how my career is going. I need to keep improving, keep growing up, keep winning. I don’t know what my limit is, I don’t want to think about it.”
Alcaraz added: “Honestly it is a dream for me winning this trophy. I did an interview when I was 11 or 12 and said my dream is to win wimbledon. i’ m fulfillingmy dream. for me this is the most beautiful tournament, the most beautiful court and the most beautiful trophy.
“Djokovic is an unbelievable fighter. it was difficult but i tried to stay calm going into the tiebreak and tried to play my best tennis. I was glad at the end I could find the solutions.”
After two consecutive final defeats, Djokovic, 37, gave short shrift to talk this could be his last appearance here – and rightly so. It’s also worth noting, just five weeks ago he was undergoing knee surgery, an injury most medics thought gave him no chance of even playing. “I don’t have any limitations in my mind,” he added. “I still want to keep going and play as long as I feel like I can play at this high level.”
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