Wimbledon final preview: Djokovic seeks Alcaraz revenge in blockbuster rematch

  • Posted: Jul 13, 2024

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will meet once again in a blockbuster Wimbledon championship match on Sunday in a repeat of last year’s final.

Twelve months ago, the Spaniard Alcaraz lit up Centre Court where he earned a thrilling five-set victory against the Serbian to clinch his first Wimbledon title and end Djokovic’s run of dominance in west London. With his four-hour, 42-minute win, the 21-year-old became just the fourth active male player to lift the trophy at SW19 after Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Djokovic, who won four consecutive titles at the grass-court major from 2018-2022.

By advancing to the championship match again in 2024, Alcaraz has become just the fourth man in the Open Era to reach multiple Wimbledon finals aged 21 and under. The Spaniard has never lost a Grand Slam final (3-0) and last month at Roland Garros he became the youngest player in the Open Era to win a major on all three surfaces.

If the third seed overcomes Djokovic on Centre Court on Sunday afternoon, he will become just the sixth man to achieve the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, joining Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Nadal, Federer and Djokovic.

“Winning Grand Slams is difficult. Obviously changing from clay to a grass court, totally different surfaces, totally different game of play,” Alcaraz said earlier this fortnight when asked about his opportunity to complete the clay-grass double. “Let’s say I’m going to try. Obviously I want to put my name on that short list to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year. I know that’s going to be a really difficult and big challenge for me, but I think I’m ready to do it.”

On Sunday, Djokovic will seek revenge against Alcaraz and aim to equal Roger Federer’s record eight trophies at The All England Club. If he wins the title, the 37-year-old will become the oldest champion in tournament history and move to a record-extending 25 majors.

Djokovic is relishing the opportunity to test himself against Alcaraz again on the biggest stage.

“He already beat me here in a thrilling five-setter. I don’t expect anything less than that,” Djokovic said looking ahead to the final. “A huge battle on the court. He is as complete a player as they come, so it is going to take the best of my abilities on the court overall to beat him on Sunday.”

Djokovic takes a 3-2 Lexus ATP Head2Head series into their final clash, with little to separate them. The second seed, who is chasing his first title of the season, arrived at Wimbledon having undergone knee surgery in early June. The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings has moved well throughout the event, dropping just two sets en route to his 10th Wimbledon final.

“There was plenty of doubt,” Djokovic said about his chances of playing and competing at Wimbledon. “Coming to London about eight days before the tournament started I didn’t know whether I would play the tournament or not. I was keeping everything open until the day of the draw. I played a couple of practise sets with top players and an exhibition match which proved to me I was in a good enough state to be not just part of Wimbledon but to go deep.

“I said before the tournament that if I didn’t think I had a chance of going deep in the tournament I probably wouldn’t be playing. The mentality is there, it is ever present and I am just very pleased and thankful to all the team members for helping me.”

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Alcaraz’s game is no replica of Djokovic’s. But in last year’s final, the Spaniard showed similar traits. Djokovic has spoken about the mental edge he owns over most opponents because of what he has achieved. But the same way the 37-year-old had no fear of Federer and Nadal when he was on the rise, Alcaraz did not shy away from the challenge of going blow for blow with the seven-time Wimbledon champion. It did not matter that it was just the fourth grass-court tournament of his career.

So often, the 98-time tour-level titlist has escaped inescapable positions in matches by finding a way to win the biggest points, giving himself a shot to find his best tennis later in the match. Alcaraz essentially Djokovic’d Djokovic that day on Centre Court and in doing so, pierced the Serbian’s aura of invincibility.

Twelve months on and two defeats to the Serbian in between (Cincinnati & Nitto ATP Finals) the question remains if the Spaniard can do similar on Sunday.

“Obviously everybody knows Djokovic. He has played multiple Grand Slam finals, has won a lot of them. Last year it was a really difficult match. He put me in real trouble, I’m going to say,” Alcaraz said on Friday. “I know how it’s going to feel playing against Djokovic. I’ve played few times in Grand Slams, finals of Masters 1000 multiple times against him. I know what I have to do. I’m sure he knows what he has to do to beat me. It’s going to be a really interesting one.”

Djokovic will be competing in his 37th major final and has experience on his side. However, the Serbian knows more than anyone about the task of trying to defeat No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings Alcaraz.

“He is a great example of a young player who has a well-balanced life on and off the court. Great team of people. Great values in his family,” Djokovic said. “A lot of charisma and carries himself well on and off the court with a smile. That is why people like him and he is deservedly one of the greatest 21 year olds we have ever seen in this sport. We are going to see a lot of him in the future no doubt. He is going to win many more Grand Slams, but hopefully [on Sunday] maybe not this one.”

Earlier this season, Alcaraz successfully defended his Indian Wells title and in 2023 he retained his trophies in Madrid and Barcelona. When asked about pressure of defending his crown at SW19 ahead of the final, the Spaniard was quick to play it down.

“I try not to think that I’m the defending champion. I just go into every match thinking that obviously I have chances to lose. Every match, it’s a war,” Alcaraz said on Friday after beating Daniil Medvedev in four sets. “The opponent, they are going to put his best tennis to beat you. I am thinking that I have to play my best tennis if I want to keep going. Honestly, since the tournament began, I didn’t think I am the defending champion.”

With the eyes of the world watching, Alcaraz and Djokovic will be desperate to make more history on Sunday from 2 p.m. local time when the men’s singles final will commence.

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