World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain thwarted Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record-leveling 24th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon on Sunday.
Overcoming an early setback, the 20-year-old defeated second-seeded Djokovic 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 to clinch his second Grand Slam trophy.
The reigning US Open champion, who had previously endured a semifinal loss to the Serbian just a month ago at Roland Garros, was making his second Grand Slam final appearance. In contrast, 36-year-old Djokovic was stepping onto that stage for a record 35th time.
In an intense battle lasting four hours and 43 minutes, both players demonstrated exceptional skills and mental tenacity. But it was the Spaniard who better maintained his composure in the decider, securing the victory with an early break in the third game. This marked Djokovic’s first defeat at Wimbledon since 2017 and his first on Center Court in 10 years.
“It’s a dream come true for me,” Alcaraz said during the trophy ceremony.
“Of course, it’s great to win but even if I had lost, I would be really proud of myself with this amazing run, making history in this beautiful tournament, playing a final against a legend of our sport.”
“It’s amazing for a boy, 20 years old, I didn’t expect to reach these kinds of situations really fast. I’m really, really proud of myself and really proud of the team that I have, the work that we put in every day to be able to lift this trophy.”
With this win, Alcaraz matched the Open Era record for the fewest attempts before clinching a second men’s singles Grand Slam title and became the third-youngest man to win Wimbledon in the Open Era.
