WIMBLEDON, England — For years, many male tennis players have wondered who could replace the Big Three of tennis — Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal — at the top of the sport once they inevitably retire. Together, they have collectively dominated on and off the court, with 66 major titles and superstar personalities.
With such big shoes to fill, it seemed unlikely that anyone would be willing to take on such a challenge. At least, not yet.
But on Sunday, just weeks after winning the French Open trophy, 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz proved once again that he was the man for the job, defeating Djokovic for the second year in a row in the Wimbledon final. And while the 2023 final had been a classic, lasting nearly five hours as the two men traded music video-worthy points, the 2024 edition was a relatively straightforward affair, with Alcaraz asserting his dominance from the first game and never giving up. By the end of the 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) match that lasted just two hours and 27 minutes, Alcaraz had secured the fourth major title of his career in front of an adoring crowd on Centre Court.
After beating Djokovic in a late tiebreak and winning the match on his fourth championship point, Alcaraz raised his arms in celebration as fans leapt to their feet. In a stadium where royalty was in the stands, it looked as though Alcaraz would be crowned the next king of tennis.
Even 24-time major champion Djokovic, who insisted he had no plans to retire anytime soon, called Alcaraz “the best player in the tournament without a doubt” during Sunday's news conference.
With this victory, Alcaraz becomes the third-youngest player in the Open Era to win four Grand Slam singles titles, behind only Mats Wilander and Bjorn Borg. His 4-0 record ranks him behind only Federer (7-0) as the best among men in their first major finals, and he joins the Big Three, as well as Borg and Rod Laver, as the only men to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.
Among active male players, Alcaraz trails only Djokovic (24) and Nadal (22) for the most major singles titles, and is now ahead of Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka (each with three). And Sunday's triumph seemed to mean more than just another trophy for Alcaraz to those watching.
“I love Djokovic,” tweeted Nick Kyrgios, the former world No. 13 who lost to Djokovic in the 2022 Wimbledon final due to injury. “But is this maybe the first time we can say 'changing of the guard'?”
THIS WIMBLEDON VICTORY demonstrated how far Alcaraz has come in his short career and over the past year.
The Spanish star was expected to win titles from the word go, and this was intensified after her quarter-final run at the 2021 US Open on her main draw debut at the tournament. But how quickly she has done it and the manner in which she has done it is remarkable.
Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open, a year after his impressive debut, with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3 victory over Casper Ruud in the final. He claimed the world number one ranking for the first time.
Many first-time major winners have spoken of the pressure that comes with such a title, and for a moment it looked like Alcaraz might fall prey to the same expectations. He had to withdraw from the 2023 Australian Open because of a hamstring injury, and then suffered debilitating cramping in a highly publicized semi-final against Djokovic at the French Open. He later attributed it to nerves.
So when Alcaraz set out to play Djokovic in the Wimbledon final just a few weeks later, he was considered the underdog at the start of the match. He had won his first title on grass at the Queen's Club during his only preseason tournament, but Wimbledon was only the fourth tournament of his career on that tricky surface. And Djokovic was, well, Djokovic, a seven-time champion at the tournament and winner of the last four titles. Few thought anyone could beat him at the All England Club, let alone a 20-year-old with so little experience on grass.
But even after losing the first set 6-1, Alcaraz was not discouraged. Instead, he refocused and seemed to seize the moment. He found his forehand and became increasingly aggressive. His confidence seemed to grow with each point, as did the crowd’s raucous adoration. While Djokovic did not fade away, the match was no longer between a legend and a rising prodigy. Instead, it was two equals fighting for the same Wimbledon crown. Alcaraz won the second-set tiebreak and went on to win the match, 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
While Jannik Sinner, currently world number one and reigning Australian Open champion, has also stood out from the rest of Gen Z on the ATP, Alcaraz has stood alone this spring and summer when the stakes were highest. At the French Open, Alcaraz defeated a number of top players, including 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and Sinner, on his way to the final, and then came from behind against Alexander Zverev in five sets in the final.
Although he failed to defend his title at Queen's Club, Alcaraz impressed at both Wimbledon and Roland Garros. Despite losing the first set in three of his matches, Alcaraz consistently raised his level, finding ways to come back and win. In the semi-finals against Daniil Medvedev, he lost the first set in a tiebreak before winning the next three sets. Asked how Alcaraz compared to the Big Three after the match, Medvedev said he had never faced Djokovic, Federer or Nadal when they were under 30, but still acknowledged how good Alcaraz already was.
-Carlos, I don't think he has anything. [like] “It's a different style of play. I think Carlos is different to many players: we all have our preferences, someone prefers defense, someone prefers counterattack, someone prefers to be super aggressive. He can do all that… Probably in my career he is the best. [the] “The toughest opponent I've ever faced.”
Against Djokovic, Alcaraz was focused from the start. In a 13-minute game to open the match, Alcaraz converted his fifth break point to take an early lead, and he didn't let up. Even when Djokovic responded in the third set and staved off three championship points, Alcaraz found a way to close out the match in a tiebreak shortly after.
His victory seemed to place him in a category in which he had not previously been considered.
“Carlos Alcaraz's triumph over a great champion like Novak Djokovic is a testament to his incredible talent, determination and composure under pressure,” Laver, a former world number one and four-time Wimbledon champion, tweeted after watching the match from the royal box. “Carlos has cemented his place among the greats of tennis with his brilliant performance today.”
Former player and current ESPN analyst Rennae Stubbs also weighed in: “Wow.” [Alcaraz] “He's a special young talent! I never thought I'd see a player as great as Novak, Rafa and Roger, but I have no doubt that this kid could make it to the age of 20. Simply phenomenal!”
Despite holding the last two major titles, Alcaraz will still be ranked third behind Sinner and Djokovic, but he doesn't seem worried about that, or any of the records or statistics he's constantly reminded of. Alcaraz, who will play in the upcoming Olympics in singles and doubles alongside Nadal, said he just wants to focus on the bigger picture.
“It's obviously a great start to my career, but I have to keep going,” Alcaraz said Sunday night. “I have to keep building my path. At the end of my career, I want to sit at the same table as the greats. That's my main goal. That's my dream right now.
“It doesn't matter if I've already won four Grand Slams by the time I'm 21. If I'm not… [able to] “I'm moving on, all these tournaments don't matter to me. I really want to move on. I'll try to keep winning and finish my career with a lot of them.”
