Wimbledon: Alcaraz defeats Djokovic in epic five-set final battle
Carlos Alcaraz won the Wimbledon Championship for the very first first time after defeating defending champion Novak Djokovic in a tense five-set battle (1-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4) in the final on Sunday.
Djokovic made it to his ninth final at SW19 after defeating Italian eighth seed Jannik Sinner in straight sets in the semi-finals while Alcaraz saw off Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the other semi to reach his first final on the grass court.
Djokovic was aiming to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 majors, the most of any player in tennis history. The Serbian second seed began the final in dominant mode in the first set, breaking Alcaraz in the second and fourth game to take the set in 35 minutes.
The second set was more keenly-contested with Djokovic breaking Alcaraz’s serve in the second game before the 20-year-old Spaniard hit back in the next game. Both players held their serve from then until the tiebreak which Alcaraz triumphed 8-6.
The third set was all about Alcaraz, first breaking Djokovic’s serve in the first game before replicating it in the fifth game after an intense back and forth that saw the game go to deuce 13 times until Alcaraz won with his fifth break point. Djokovic lost serve again in the seventh game to allow Alcaraz take the set in an hour.
Not to be shaken, Djokovic took control of the narrative fourth set by breaking Alcaraz in the fifth game and ninth game to wrap up the in 56 minutes.
Alcaraz got the advantage in the fifth and deciding set after breaking Djokovic in the fifth game. It was routine sequence from there with both players holding their serve which won the set and the match for Alcaraz in four hours and 43 minutes.
A new name. A new reign. 🇪🇸@carlosalcaraz, your 2023 Gentlemen's Singles champion#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/3KNlRTOPhx
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2023
The victory saw Alcaraz lift his second Grand Slam title after winning the US Open last year.
He becomes the third Spaniard to win on the grass of SW19 after Manuel Santana an Rafael Nadal. He will also hold on to his spot at the top of the ATP rankings.
