The final time Novak Djokovic misplaced a Wimbledon remaining, earlier than the epic battle with Carlos Alcaraz final night time, was in 2013 towards Andy Murray. And it took a particular efficiency from a particular participant. “I have not performed a participant like him ever, to be sincere,” mentioned the good Serb concerning the 20-year-old Spaniard after the match.
Alcaraz was equally magnanimous, after beating the seven-time champion to clinch the gents’s singles title. “Beating Novak, successful Wimbledon, is one thing that I dreamed about since I began enjoying tennis,” he instructed BBC after denying Djokovic a twenty fourth Grand Slam win. “It is the happiest second of my life. I believe it isn’t going to alter for a very long time.”
Fondly often called Carlitos, Alcaraz trains every single day for 2 hours on the Juan Carlos Ferrero Equelite Tennis Academy, which additionally produced one other tennis nice, Rafael Nadal.
“Carlos is bodily explosive and really quick. I can’t make him play slowly, however I hope he’s able to building,” mentioned Juan Carlos Ferrero, his coach, in an interview with Vogue. “He’s naturally inventive. That’s a plus.”
Alcaraz grew up within the village of El Palmar admiring Roger Federer. He and his brother Alvaro took to tennis from a younger age, due to a father who performed skilled tennis and an uncle who constructed a tennis membership within the village. At 12, he obtained right into a event in Croatia and began coaching with Ferrero three years later.
He likes chess and collects Nike sneakers. He has confessed that he covets classic fashions.
Djokovic admitted with out hesitation that he was solely the second-best participant final night time. “Alcaraz was a deserved winner right now, little question,” he mentioned. “I had my possibilities. I believe I may have closed out that second-set tiebreaker higher. However credit score to him for combating and exhibiting some unbelievable defensive expertise, passing pictures that obtained him the break within the fifth.”
He broke into tears on the court docket and reportedly admitted that he should not have gained towards Roger Federer within the 2019 remaining.
In January, Boris Becker mentioned that he thought age was catching up with Djokovic as he was seen ‘catching his breath’ greater than normal on the Australian Open.