“36 is the new 26 and you make that happen,” Carlos Alcaraz pays a classy tribute to Novak Djokovic after their epic clash

Carlos Alcaraz reserved some high praise for Novak Djokovic after clinching his maiden Wimbledon title.

“36 is the new 26 and you make that happen,” Carlos Alcaraz pays a classy tribute to Novak Djokovic after their epic clash

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz (Source: Wimbledon)

Carlos Alcaraz has achieved one of the biggest feats in tennis, as he claimed his maiden Wimbledon title. The Spaniard defeated Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller to end the Serb’s impeccable record on Centre Court. The 36-year-old was undefeated on the court for almost over a decade, as he was chasing his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title.

Alcaraz showered praise on Djokovic for his incredible achievements in his post-match speech. The 20-year-old revealed that the Serb was among the few tennis players who inspired him to play tennis. The youngster was just eight years old when Novak Djokovic won his first Wimbledon title back in 2011.

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The final will certainly go down as among the best in the tournament’s history. Lasting for almost five hours, the level of tennis produced by both Alcaraz and Djokovic was highly commendable. Eventually, the World No. 1 held his nerve in the decider, as he got an early break which helped him seal the title.

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Carlos Alcaraz oozes class in humble victory speech

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Source : Wimbledon)

Earlier in the tournament, Novak Djokovic was asked about whether his age played a factor in his fitness levels. The Serb jokingly stated that 36 feels like the new 26, as he hinted at playing tennis at the top level for years to come.

Carlos Alcaraz touched upon Novak Djokovic’s comments and stated that he does indeed still play like he was in his 20s. “I have to congratulate Novak, it was amazing to play against him. You inspire me a lot. I started playing tennis watching you. Since I was born you were already winning tournaments. You said 36 is the new 26 and you make that happen. It’s amazing,” said Alcaraz in his post-match speech.

The world number one started off the match in the worst possible manner, losing the first set by a score-line of 6-1. Many people in the stands believed that Novak Djokovic would completely breeze past the Spaniard in the final. However, the 2022 US Open champion came out all guns blazing in the second and third set, before the defending champion pulled things back in the penultimate set. In the fifth set, Alcaraz produced tennis from the top draw, as he held his nerve to serve for the championship.

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