To say that there is a generational gap between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic would be stating the obvious. On Sunday, when the two will again contest the gentlemen’s singles final at Wimbledon, a quick look at their age: Alcaraz will be 21 years and 70 days, young and fresh, while Serbian Novak has been named a veteran at 37 years and 53 days.
If you happened to watch the men’s singles semi-finals on Friday at the most romantic tennis theatre in the world – Wimbledon Centre Court – the last thought would be age. If age was on Alcaraz’s side as he turned on the heat with a 6-7(1/7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 classic verdict against Daniil Medvedev, Djokovic showed, on grass, he has a sublime skill set. Gunning for his 25th Grand Slam title and eighth at Wimbledon, he snapped the bull run of Italian Lorenzo Musetti with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 demolition act.
This is the dream script which had been penned before the magical Wimbledon fortnight began, Alcaraz versus Djokovic. Yet, given Djokovic’s surgery at the French Open and flying into London with a right knee open patella strap on, it looked worrying. He has not just lasted the distance, so to say, he has shown age is just a number as he conjured up scintillating stuff which only maestros can.
Yet, if one needed to look at a youngster control the pattern of play and bring the worst out of an opponent, Alcaraz did that to Medvedev. A Spaniard waving the red flag at the Russian, whose hot-headed approach did no good, this was a match where the defending champion was the destroyer. To say that he has kind of reinvented himself would not be an exaggeration. When Alcaraz began the 2024 tennis, he was rubbished as being unfit. His joints have started creaking, said some fans and experts. If you needed proof of how strong Alcaraz is today, the way he produced shots against Medvedev and moved on the court with a gazelle-like grace was mind blowing.
The key, in big matches, is to stay cool. That’s where Alcaraz mastered Medvedev, keeping emotions in check, even as he essayed a game at the net which has not been seen very often before. Wimbledon in the distant past was only for serve-and-volley kings. Much has changed, the surface and heaviness of the tennis ball included. And in this age, when so much of physicality comes into play, even those who only have a game to belt the ball from the baseline or mid-court can still get away on the lush green courts of Wimbledon. No, Alcaraz is not one-dimensional, he is multi-dimensional as he came up with a bag full of tricks and tripped the Russian.
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At one stage, break point down in the first set, Medvedev was so frustrated, the 28-year-old was frothing. He may have thought cursing in Russian would not be understood, as he took on chair umpire Eva Asderaki. The contention was, Medvedev had got to a drop shot but Eva judged it as picking the ball on second bounce. Medvedev got into a scrap with the chair umpire, which resulted in the tournament referee and supervisor also being called on court. That Medvedv got away with just a warning was sheer luck as he could have even been defaulted. After all, Wimbledon has never put up with bad behaviour.
Once a player gets into a situation like this, arguing and self-destroying, the opponent will seize the psychological advantage. That is what Alcaraz did as he produced tennis which was bold and beautiful. He realised, against the crazy Medvedev, he had to mix things up, which included more approaches to the net, for volleys and drop shots. It left Medvedev exasperated as he lost in four sets.
Afterwards, Alcaraz was smiling like a kid. After all, a Spaniard playing the final at Wimbledon and Spain meeting England in the Euro 2024 final, Alcaraz was pleased as punch. “Sunday is going to be a good day for the Spanish people,” said the 21-year-old, which did not go down well with the Centre Court fans, mostly Britons.
Back to Centre Court and hatred, Wimbledon did not quite distinguish itself as Djokovic was once again at the receiving end from fans. This has become almost like a hatred campaign against him, for he is winning so emphatically. There was no reason to be against Djokovic as he was pointing to his daughter in the stands and celebrating at one stage. No, Wimbledon fans thought he was ridiculing them. It has almost become a habit, when Djokovic wins the final point, he pulls off a celebration which involves imitating playing a violin.
If ‘music’ hurt fans, then Djokovic was on song against Musetti in a semi-final which never rose to greatest heights. Yes, the Italian showed his best tennis, which included a bazooka backhand and engaging with Djokovic in long, grinding rallies. Yet, in the ultimate analysis, if Djokovic could win with a modicum of efficiency, it had to do with his skills at the net.
On reaching his Wimbledon final again, said 37-year-old Djokovic: “This tournament is a childhood dream for me. To play it, to win it. As a seven-year-old boy in Serbia watching the bombs overhead, I was dreaming of being here on Centre Court at Wimbledon. I never take this for granted. I am very satisfied to be in another final but hopefully I get my hands on that trophy again on Sunday.”
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