Carlos Alcaraz, the young Spanish matador, battered Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) to retain his strong hold on the Wimbledon trophy on a flat Sunday, tennis wise, in London. For all those who watched this two hour and 27 seven {mis)match at the packed Centre Court, many emotions came into play.
Wimbledon, certainly, hates Novak. There is no reason for it. He is still gunning for his 25th Grand Slam title and eighth singles title at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at age 37 plus and there is nothing wrong in it. This was a final which stood in stark contrast to the one on July 16, 2023, when Carlos became King Carlos after a five-setter which had quenched the fans’ thirst.
No, the latest Sunday demolition on July 14, 2024, was not really enough, since a gentleman champion emerging after just three sets is not what fans want to see across varying, global time zones. This was a Super Sunday for sure, as promised by Carlos Alcaraz. Not only did he come out with a tennis execution of greatest pedigree on grass where every facet of his game was superior to the Serbian, Carlos also was ready in time to watch Spain kick England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final.
Espana, Vamos, all this will be in use over the next few days as one nation which is not as powerful as many others in Europe showed that when it comes to sports, Spain are a powerhouse. No digression, what Carlos Alcaraz had done on a sunny Sunday afternoon in London was the ideal way to set up the mood for sports fans. Spaniards are there all over Europe and USA, but the real love for this nation is from millions of sporting fans, spread far and wide. Tennis fans loved the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate till recently. Suddenly, there is a hush, no GOAT debate. Just one name on everyone’s lips, Carlos, or Carlitos. If people have fallen in love with a 21-year-old who has such a charming smile, Carlos has come along as the right successor to Rafael Nadal.
Tennis has this strong ability to churn emotions in fans, good and bad. Yet, what stands out in the clinical way in which Carlos Alcaraz brought Novak down to the grass with a thud at Centre Court was he did not indulge in histrionics and put on his best behaviour. The body language and his overall demeanour is a delight to watch. He shows massive respect, as well, to his opponent, Novak Djokovic.
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Come on, Age 21 versus Age 37, the 16-year age gap does demand respect — Carlos vs Novak. Maybe, in terms of firing those cannon ball serves and cranking up the speed, Carlos Alcaraz resembled a jet airplane taxiing on the runway before take-off. The way Carlos set a hot pace and then dazzled with passing shots, net play and more, it was clear he was riding on an incredible high. In the good old days, tennis fans talked of how tough it was to cross the English Channel. No, nobody is talking of the swimming effort against strong current and cold water, which chills to the bones, but how winning the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris and The Championship at Wimbledon in the suburbs of London is a great feat.
Carlos Alcaraz has done it in 2024, and this is just the beginning. Four Majors already to his credit, people will hype him further, unmindful of the fact he is just 21. He is the new age champion but to think he will win every Major will be wrong. Do not forget, a few months back, experts and critics were lampooning the Spaniard as he was already dealing with a few fitness issues. To expect Carlos Alcaraz to keep peaking at every Grand Slam is madness. Don’t, please, treat a young boy as a tennis machine. Carlos is a delightful bundle of talent and energy and his in him the simplicity to stay focussed.
Yes, there are a few who are already cracking jokes at Novak. Try and hurt your knee, even if just a mild twist, or jerk, involuntarily, and walk straight, you will howl in pain. The bravado which Novak has shown in the past fortnight deserves fulsome praise. Yes, he was defeated but not disgraced. Brave and bold, to return from knee surgery and rehab, what Novak showed to the sporting world was the ability to transcend the pain barrier and attempt another massive mountain climb. He did not drop dead at the foothills but near the peak, which is the final of Wimbledon.
Grace, Novak has in plenty. “He (Carlos) had it all today. He was an absolutely deserved winner,” said Novak just after the final loss. Later, on his X (Twitter) handle, Novak was even more gracious. “Every time I walk on to Centre Court, I am filled with such gratitude that I am living out my childhood dream. Thank you to my entire team, partners, family and #nolefam for all of your support throughout the last few weeks. Onwards, Felicidades, @carlosalcaraz. Well deserved my friend,” reads his post.
As for Carlos Alcaraz, he is still a simple boy and knows, when he returns to Spain and then comes to Paris for the Olympics, he will be the cynosure. But then, Carlos is not getting carried away. As he said at the press conference, later, he has enormous respect for Novak.
“Well, I mean, I’m still believing that Novak is Superman because what he has done this tournament with a surgery just before a few weeks before the tournament begun. It is amazing. It is unbelievable. Honestly, as I said on court, I was talking to my team that the work that Novak has done has been unbelievable. Put 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,” said Carlos Alcaraz.
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