Change of Guard has taken place at Wimbledon as Carlos Alcaraz triumphs over Novak Djokovic on the prestigious Centre Court

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz play out a thrilling Wimbledon final as the Spanish youngster claims his maiden title at the Championships.

Change of Guard has taken place at Wimbledon as Carlos Alcaraz triumphs over Novak Djokovic on the prestigious Centre Court

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic posing with their respective 2023 Wimbledon trophies (Credits: People.com)

Like a hailstorm whistling through the woods to leave behind its trail of destruction, Carlos Alcaraz buried Novak Djokovic on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Sunday. Was this the script which had really been envisaged? Was this really the stuff one expected from a 20-year-old boy who is much inexperienced compared to the Serbian superstar. There can be no disagreement, Carlos Alcaraz has in him that Spanish matador kind of energy.

If you wave the red flag at him, he comes charging. In the first set and for the better part of the second set tie-break, the bull seemed in slumber mode. Perhaps, Novak had needled him, angered him. Carlos came charging after that, like the bull, showed all his aggro, toughness — physical and mental — to lift his maiden Gentleman’s Trophy at a venue where many youngsters have in the past succumbed to pressure.

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The kind of turbo-charge mode which Novak Djokovic exhibited in the first set was scary. The overhead roof was open at Centre Court. In fact, it was the owner of 23 Grand Slam titles who seemed on course for an early supper, and then the Champions Dinner. Damn, when Novak blew the advantage in the second set tie-break, that was the first sign there could be a change in the script. Every bit of history and chemistry are shared by Novak and Wimbledon.

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He wanted to win his eighth title at Big W and equal Roger Federer. That would have also enabled him to come at par with grand old Aussie lady Margaret Court. Well, Court’s record has been like a bait for many decades. First, it was the diva of women’s tennis and Super Mom Serena Williams who tripped four time in attempting to equal Margaret Court.

Keep Exploring: WATCH: Novak Djokovic breaks down after losing the Wimbledon finals while thanking son Stefan for his support

Don’t make the mistake of writing off Novak Djokovic yet

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic after a slip on the Centre Court during the Wimbledon finals (Credits: CNN)

Serena left her battalion of fans in tears, for, losing four finals, two each at Wimbledon and the US Open were signs of her choking under pressure. Sadly, she retired in 2022 at the US Open, stuck at a tally of 23 Grand Slam singles titles. If that was a bit of statistics one did not want to invoke on Sunday, King Carlos thought otherwise. To be sure, Carlos is the new generation, new stuff. He has everything you would want in a champion tennis player.

The fundamentals are strong and he is able to use the array of strokes under pressure. Add to it his mental toughness and not willing to be intimidated, the Spaniard made life miserable for Novak Djokovic, a man who had made Wimbledon his own backyard. To have been winning here since 2013 was a crazy record. They say, records are meant to be broken and Next Gen has to rise.

If the 2022 US Open was a glimpse that Carlos had arrived, the wait for him to blossom had been slightly long. The guy has almost everything in his game to win on any surface. What needs to be made clear is he is not going to win every Major coming up, the next US Open, and the 2024 calendar.

He has all the time in the world to show he can win more titles, be it on the ATP Tour or Grand Slams. Then again, only a fool will write off Novak. He has won two Majors this year and will go back on a break and come back even more turbo charged in New York.

Carlos Alcaraz is here to stay for a long time

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz with his 2023 Wimbledon trophy (Credits: Sporting News)

Back to Carlos, early success is never an issue, sustaining it for years in a row is the big deal. Yes, the summer of 2023 in London belongs to Carlos, since he won Queens and The Championships. Where did he impress, really? He has that bullfighter bravado spirit in him plus the court craft to match Novak. Above all, to last close to five hours in a marathon five-setter is proof he is ready to run the full course. There is no hesitancy in his game and mind-wise, he is sorted.

These are nuances you will not find in youngsters of similar age like Carlos Alcaraz. People talk of how Novak frustrates his opponents, and almost makes them feel like a nincompoop! On Sunday, it was a twist with a difference, a tryst with destiny for King Carlos. Boy, did he come out smoking on big points. To put so much pressure on Novak, where the winner of 23 Grand Slam titles was delaying his serve was bizarre.

The more you bounce the fuzzy ball and delay the service action motion, it’s a clear sign of nerves and being fidgety. Tennis world saw a new Novak on Sunday, a winner, a champion who looked human. He looked fallible, that, too, in a pressure cooker final. Commiserations to the 20-year-old dude who made it happen. Carlos needs no comparisons with Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal.

This kid is no prototype. Carlos Alcaraz’s talent is phenomenal plus he has the swagger of an inveterate gambler at a packed Las Vegas casino!
Vamos Carlos.

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