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Carlos Alcaraz defeated seven-time champion Novak Djokovic to claim his first Wimbledon title on Sunday, shattering the Serb’s dream of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown. World number one Alcaraz recovered from dropping the first set and saving a set point in the second to win 1-6, 7-6 (8\/6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 after four hours and 42 minutes on Centre Court. It was a second major for the 20-year-old Spaniard following his US Open title last year as he became Wimbledon’s third youngest men’s champion.<\/p>\n
The result will also spark feverish speculation over the start of a generational shift, with 36-year-old Djokovic carrying the torch of the ‘Big Three’ now that Roger Federer is retired and Rafael Nadal is sidelined, perhaps permanently.<\/p>\n
Australian Open and French Open champion Djokovic had been bidding to equal Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles, match Margaret Court’s all-time mark of 24 Slams and become the All England Club’s oldest men’s champion.<\/p>\n
When he won his first major at the Australian Open in 2008, Alcaraz was still three months shy of his fifth birthday.<\/p>\n
“You inspire me a lot,” Alcaraz told Djokovic after becoming the third Spanish winner of the title, following in the footsteps of Manuel Santana in 1966 and Nadal in 2008 and 2010.<\/p>\n
“I started playing tennis watching you. Since I was born you were already winning tournaments. It is amazing,” he added with a smile after firing 66 winners past the Serb, off-setting his 45 unforced errors.<\/p>\n
“I fall in love with grass right now. It’s amazing.”<\/p>\n
Nadal took to Twitter to salute Alcaraz, praising him for bringing “immense joy” to Spanish tennis and telling him to “enjoy the moment”.<\/p>\n
Djokovic was playing in his ninth final at Wimbledon and 35th at the majors, while for Alcaraz it was just a second in the Slams following his US Open triumph.<\/p>\n
“What a quality at the end of the match when you had to serve it out,” said Djokovic, who had been chasing a fifth successive Wimbledon crown.<\/p>\n
– ‘You deserve it’ –
“You came up with some big plays in the big situation and you absolutely deserve it. Amazing.<\/p>\n
“As for me, you never like to lose matches like these but I guess when all the emotions are settled I’ll have to be very grateful.”<\/p>\n
The Serb, who was on a 34-match winning streak at Wimbledon, went into the final not having lost on Centre Court since his 2013 defeat to Andy Murray in the title match.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz, who had been crippled by body cramping in his loss to Djokovic in the French Open semi-final in June, was unable to settle in the first set and let a break point slip away in the seven-minute opening game.<\/p>\n
– Golden chance –
Djokovic took advantage and raced into a 5-0 lead on the back of a double break before the Spaniard got on the board.<\/p>\n
It was too little, too late as Djokovic claimed the opening set with a smash.<\/p>\n
But Alcaraz finally freed himself of his shackles and broke for 2-1 in the second set.<\/p>\n
Djokovic hit straight back in the third game before saving a break point in the fourth, coming out on top of a 29-shot rally.<\/p>\n
The Serb was hit with a time violation in the tie-break before seeing a set point saved.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz needed no second invitation when he carved out and converted a set point to level the contest with a backhand winner.<\/p>\n
The marathon set had taken 85 minutes as Djokovic’s run of 15 tie-breaks won in a row at the majors ended.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz broke in the opening game of the third set and again after an exhausting 26-minute fifth game, which went to 13 deuces and saw Djokovic save six break points before he cracked on the seventh.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz backed it up with a rapid-fire service game which took just two minutes in comparison and broke again against the dispirited defending champion to move two sets to one ahead.<\/p>\n
Djokovic broke twice in the fourth set, levelling the match courtesy of Alcaraz’s seventh double fault of the final.<\/p>\n
But Djokovic wasted a golden chance to break for 2-0 in the decider with a wild smash and Alcaraz made him pay, breaking for 2-1.<\/p>\n
A frustrated Djokovic collected another code violation for destroying his racquet against the net post before he slipped 3-1 down.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz was not to be denied and he claimed a famous victory when Djokovic buried a forehand in the net.<\/p>\n
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)<\/i><\/p>\n