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Hungry for history, Alcaraz says: 'I want to sit at the same table as the big guys'

  • Posted: Jul 14, 2024

There is no doubt that Carlos Alcaraz is a historic talent. His 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) dismantling of 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final Sunday was just the latest proof of that.

The bad news for the rest of the ATP Tour is that the Spaniard is hungry for more.

“Obviously it’s a really great start of my career, but I have to keep going. I have to keep building my path,” Alcaraz said. “At the end of my career, I want to sit at the same table as the big guys. That’s my main goal. That’s my dream right now. It doesn’t matter if I already won four Grand Slams at the age of 21. If I don’t keep going, all these tournaments for me, it doesn’t matter.

“I really want to keep going. I will try to keep winning and end my career with a lot of them.”

Djokovic holds the men’s singles record for most Slam championships with 24, while Rafael Nadal owns 22 and Roger Federer claimed 20 in his career. How close to those legends can Alcaraz get, or could he even exceed their totals?

Alcaraz does not know, but he wants to do everything in his power to find out.

“I’m really happy with the work that I’m doing with my team. I’m really proud about myself, all the things that I’m doing great. I’m really proud about my people around my team. Everything we have done already has been unbelievable, an amazing journey so far,” Alcaraz said. “I really want to keep going, to keep improving, to keep growing up, try to keep winning. That’s all that matters for me right now.

“I don’t know what is my limit. I don’t want to think about it. I just want to keep enjoying my moment, just to keep dreaming. So let’s see if at the end of my career it’s going to be 25, 30, 15, four. I don’t know. All I want to say is I want to keep enjoying, and let’s see what the future brings to me.”

At last year’s US Open, Alcaraz lost a four-set semi-final to Daniil Medvedev. After the encounter, he was as negative as we have seen him about his game.

“I’m not mature enough to handle these kind of matches,” Alcaraz said. “So I have to learn about it.”

Learn Alcaraz has. The 21-year-old has won two of the three majors this season and is younger than Djokovic, Nadal and Federer were when they won their fourth major. He pointed to the Medvedev match as an important moment.

“I had to grow up and be more mature in those situations. I gave up a little bit. I remember perfectly. I gave up a little bit in the second set after losing the first one. It’s something that is unacceptable playing in a Grand Slam. I knew that these things can’t happen again,” Alcaraz said. “It helped me a lot coming to the next Grand Slams, next tournaments to be better in the mental side, to be strong enough, playing [my] best tennis in the close and difficult situations.”

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/07/14/19/39/alcaraz-wimbledon-2024-title-terrace.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Carlos Alcaraz” />
Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images
Alcaraz is now locked in a tantalising battle for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The Italian leads the Spaniard by just 250 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, which serves as a good measuring stick for the year-end No. 1 race.

Alcaraz, 21, and Sinner, 22, have swept the season’s three majors and each star has claimed an ATP Masters 1000 trophy this year, too.

“I think it is good for tennis to have new faces winning the big things and fighting for the big tournaments,” Alcaraz said. “I’m really glad to have him there. As I’ve said many times, we have a really good rivalry, as young players that are coming up, fighting for these things as well. I think it’s great for the sport, for tennis and I think for the players, as well.”

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The Wimbledon champion made sure to also shower praise on Djokovic, who was unsure whether he would compete in The Championships until the days before the tournament. After withdrawing ahead of his Roland Garros quarter-final against Casper Ruud, the Serbian underwent surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee.

“I’m still believing that Novak is Superman because what he has done this tournament with a surgery just a few weeks before the tournament began. It is amazing. It is unbelievable,” Alcaraz said. “Honestly, as I said on court, I was talking to my team that the work that Novak has done has been unbelievable. [Giving] himself the chance to be able to play the tournament and making the final, it’s something out of this world for me. I beat him today, but for me Novak is still being like a Superman.”

As happy as Alcaraz is with his latest triumph, he knows this is just another step in his journey. The 15-time tour-level titlist is excited to get back to work on his game.

“I have to keep improving everything, I guess. My forehand, at this level I think it can be better. Every year should be better,” Alcaraz said. “I think my game in general I think can improve it and deal with the situations. I can’t stop like this one. I have to keep growing up and keep improving.”

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Hsieh/Zielinski win Wimbledon mixed doubles title

  • Posted: Jul 14, 2024

Hsieh Su-Wei and Jan Zielinski brought the 2024 edition of The Championships to a close Sunday evening when they defeated Santiago Gonzalez and Giuliana Olmos 6-4, 6-2 to win the Wimbledon mixed doubles title.

The seventh seeds lost just one set in five matches to claim the trophy in their first appearance in the tournament as a team.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling playing a Wimbledon final in only my third attempt.,” Zielinski said. “I can’t even put it into words. I was dreaming about this moment for so long and it’s a privilege to be on the court, to step on the court. I remember it like it was yesterday watching 10 years ago Nadal and Kyrgios and this match, dreaming to even step foot on the court and today we’re Wimbledon champions. So it’s an unbelievable feeling and a great privilege.”

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Hsieh and Zielinski were dominant in the championship match. They did not face a break point and earned 15 chances of their own, converting three of those opportunities to triumph after 76 minutes.

“Thank you Jan for bringing me back to the wonderful court here to enjoy the court,” Hsieh said. “Centre Court at Wimbledon is always amazing and my family, my coach… my friends, my sister is here, it’s amazing. Thank you so much!”

Hsieh and Zielinski first teamed at this year’s Australian Open, where they captured the title. After reaching the Roland Garros semi-finals, they have returned to the winners’ circle at Wimbledon.

Hsieh is an eight-time major champion, owning seven women’s doubles titles and now two mixed trophies, both with Zielinski.

The Polish doubles star Zielinski, who lost in the first round of men’s doubles at Wimbledon with partner Hugo Nys to Sebastian Baez and Dustin Brown, recovered well to earn a crown at The All England Club. This was his second major, both in mixed doubles with Hsieh.

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Alcaraz's baseline barrage, sizzling passing shots left no safe space for Djokovic to work

  • Posted: Jul 14, 2024

It was baseline carnage.

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) in the Wimbledon singles final on Sunday by completely dominating the Serbian from the back of the court for the second year in a row.

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Djokovic came into Sunday’s final winning a respectable 50% (242/484) of his baseline points. That number got crushed down to 41 per cent (33/81) against Alcaraz. In the opening two sets, Djokovic only won 39 per cent (17/44) from the back of the court. On the other side of the net, Alcaraz was flying with his groundstrokes, winning a staggering 58 per cent (33/57).

Alcaraz Baseline Points Won

  • Set 1 = 54% (19/35)
  • Set 2 = 63% (14/22)
  • Set 3 = 51% (27/53)

     

    Djokovic Baseline Points Won

  • Set 1 = 46% (13/28)
  • Set 2 = 25% (4/16)
  • Set 3 = 43% (16/37)

    Alcaraz never dropped below 50 percent in any set with baseline points won, while Djokovic never reached 50 per cent in any set. The second set statistics were simply stunning. Alcaraz was putting up jaw-dropping numbers, winning 63 per cent, while Djokovic countered with only 25 per cent baseline points won. It was one-way traffic to back-to-back titles. The longest rally of the match was just 13 shots, and only nine rallies reached nine shots. Alcaraz won eight of them.

    Where did it all go wrong for Djokovic from the back of the court? It was actually both wings that underperformed under the intense pressure from Alcaraz.

    Forehand Performance

  • Alcaraz: 21 winners / 33 errors = -12
  • Djokovic: 6 winners / 31 errors = -25

    Backhand Performance

  • Alcaraz: 10 winners / 21 errors = -11
  • Djokovic: 3 winners / 25 errors = -22

    As you can see from the numbers above, Djokovic’s errors flowed freely from his forehand and backhand.

    Djokovic’s forehand return was another hot spot that Alcaraz attacked. Alcaraz put 79 per cent (38/48) of forehand returns back in play, while Djokovic struggled mightily, only putting 64 per cent (23/46).

    Both players put 83 per cent of their backhand returns in the court. Overall, Alcaraz put 74 per cent (72/97) back in play, while Djokovic was at 70 per cent (62/89). These are the kind of statistics that Djokovic dominates against all opponents, especially on the biggest stage in our sport.

    Djokovic cleverly turned his attention to the front of the court to try to turn the match around, but Alcaraz did a magnificent job of passing Djokovic when he came in, particularly off the forehand side.

    Net Points Won

  • Alcaraz = 73% (16/22)
  • Djokovic = 51% (27/53)

Coming into the final, Djokovic was enjoying venturing forward to the net in his five matches, winning a dominant 78 per cent (143/184) at net. In the final against Alcaraz, he only managed to win 51 per cent (27/53).

Djokovic simply couldn’t create any momentum in the match. Alcaraz trailed 0/15 in five of his service games but rallied to hold all five times. Djokovic trailed 0/15 in six service games, but could only capture two. The writing was on the wall from the opening game of the match for the 24-time major winner. Djokovic served first, and the opening service game of the match lasted 20 points. Alcaraz broke him on his fifth break point. Djokovic never felt the luxury of playing from ahead, as he also lost his serve in the opening service game of the second set.

All credit goes to Alcaraz for taking away Djokovic’s baseline strengths and turning the scoreboard into another formidable opponent.

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Five reasons why hometown star Zverev can defend Hamburg crown

  • Posted: Jul 14, 2024

Alexander Zverev is set to compete on home soil at the Hamburg Open, where he is the defending champion and top seed. Here are five reasons why the 27-year-old is the man to beat at the ATP 500 clay-court event in Germany.

1. He Snapped Germany’s 30-year Hamburg Duck
Twelve months ago, Zverev did not drop a set en route to the title in Hamburg, where he beat Laslo Djere in straight sets in the final. By triumphing, he became the first German to win in Hamburg since Michael Stich in 1993.

“At the end of the day, this is my home, this is where I grew up, and this where I started playing tennis,” said Zverev at the time. “It was incredible for me, incredibly emotional. I can’t describe it in words, I’m just super happy right now.”

2. Happy At Home
The German has an impressive record on home soil. Zverev, who has also reached two other semi-finals in Hamburg aside from his title run, won in Munich in 2017 and 2018 and triumphed twice in Cologne in 2020.

After his triumph last year, the 22-time tour-level titlist is 12-5 in Hamburg. He will begin trying to improve that record this year in a first-round clash against Dutch qualifier Jesper de Jong.

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3. In The Groove On Clay
Zverev has produced some of his best tennis this year on clay, highlighted by his title run at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome in May. The German dropped just one set en route to the crown, his second triumph in the Eternal City after he also won there in 2017.

The 27-year-old then advanced to his second major final and first on clay at Roland Garros. Zverev, who lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets at the Paris major, is 16-4 on the surface this year. Can he extend that winning record further in Hamburg?

4. Back To His Best
Zverev’s title run in Hamburg in 2023 was extra special, with it being his first since he suffered a horrific ankle injury at Roland Garros in 2022.  Zverev was forced to retire during his semi-final with Rafael Nadal at the clay major that year. He suffered the injury at the end of the second set of an enthralling encounter with nearly three hours already on the clock, and it caused him to miss the rest of that season before he returned to tour-level action in Australia in January 2023.

Since then, Zverev has gone from strength to strength. He returns to his hometown this year as the No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, having added ATP Tour titles in Chengdu and Rome to his tally since his Hamburg triumph last year.

5. Frontrunner
Zverev is 29-3 in matches where he has won the first set this year, having proven himself to be a difficult man to reel in if he gets ahead in a match.

One of the biggest reasons for Zverev’s record as a frontrunner is his serve, which is one of the biggest on Tour. The German has a first-serve average speed of 128mph this season, according to TennisViz, 14mph faster than the Tour average of 116mph. The World No. 4 backs up his pinpoint first deliveries with powerful groundstrokes to dictate.

Zverev’s longevity in rallies is also key to his success, particularly on clay. The 27-year-old acts as a brick wall at times to win lengthy exchanges, having this year won 54 per cent of points that last between five and eight rally shots on all surfaces.

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Djokovic accepting of Alcaraz defeat: 'I don't think I could have done more'

  • Posted: Jul 14, 2024

Novak Djokovic walked onto Centre Court to face Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon on Sunday aiming to win a record-extending 25th major crown. Two hours and 30 minutes later the Serbian was left with a look of helplessness on his face after the Spaniard outplayed him to earn a straight-sets win.

“Just overall the way I felt on the court today against him, I was inferior on the court,” Djokovic said. “That’s it. He was a better player. He played every single shot better than I did.

“I don’t think I could have done something much more. Try to pump myself up maybe. Get the crowd involved. That’s what was happening in the third. That got me going a little bit. He wasn’t also allowing me to have many free points on my serve. He was reading the serve. He was playing with a lot of variety. I’ve never seen him serve that way, to be honest.”

Alcaraz improved to 3-3 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series and now holds a 2-0 record against Djokovic at the grass-court major.

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Djokovic arrived in west London just fewer than three weeks ago having undergone knee surgery in early June. The Serbian is pleased he was able to be so competitive at Wimbledon.

“I did all I can to prepare myself for this match and this tournament in general,” Djokovic said. “If someone told me I would play Wimbledon finals three, four weeks ago, I would take it for sure. Where I was three, four weeks ago, where I am now.

“Of course, I do feel disappointed. It’s a bitter taste to lose the finals the way I did today. It has to be a success at the end of the day with me and my team playing Wimbledon finals and losing to the best player of the tournament.”

Djokovic, who has earned seven Wimbledon crowns, first trained on grass six days before the tournament started on 1st July. The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings shared further insight into how his preparation was hampered in the lead-up to the event.

“My preparation for Wimbledon wasn’t as I would have it normally, usually or commonly to prepare myself,” Djokovic said. “There was hindrance obviously because of the injury. I had to kind of create a hybrid program of training between the rehab, specific exercises for the knee, and the actual pre-Grand Slam fitness training and tennis training.

“That probably had an effect, particularly in the opening rounds. But as the tournament progressed, I felt better and better. I reached the finals. In some matches I played some really good tennis. Some matches I kind of battled my way through. Today I was just half a step behind him in every sense.”

Djokovic leaves west London holding a 23-7 record on the season. He is still searching for his first title and his first Top 10 win in 2024.

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