With videoCarlos Alcaraz (20) already won Queens last month and now also has Wimbledon to his name, after beating Novak Djokovic in a beautiful five-setter. ,,This was only my fourth tournament on grass, but this way I quickly fall in love with it. Apparently I am a fast learner.”
Alcaraz told his story in excellent English, after he received a firm hug from Novak Djokovic and all his family members and supervisors in his box in the stands of Center Court shortly after his championship point. There he managed to beat Djokovic in five sets, the first player since Andy Murray in the final on July 7, 2013. ,,It’s a dream come true. It’s great to win here, but even if I had lost here I would have been very proud of myself. To be able to play against such a legend here is unbelievable. To be allowed to play on this stage is unimaginable for a boy of 20 years old. I am very proud of myself and my team. The work we invest in my game every day means that we can now experience this,” said Alcaraz, whose brother Jaime (11) proudly watched his brother play a sensational final for five hours.
“I’ve looked up to you ever since I was born. You won tournaments then. Unbelievable how long you’ve been so good, huge respect,” Alcaraz then said, looking at Djokovic. Alcaraz was born in 2003, the year in which Djokovic became a professional tennis player.
Congratulations from Rafael Nadal
Alcaraz then thanked the Spanish royal family for their presence and support in the stands. “It is very special that you were there to support me. I’m really starting to fall in love with grass now. I’ve only played four tournaments on grass. Last month I won Queens and now Wimbledon. Apparently I’m a fast learner. It is very special to now belong to the Wimbledon Club.”
On Twitter, the currently recovering Rafael Nadal (37) was quick to congratulate his ‘natural successor’ Alcaraz on his second grand slam. “You gave us a lot of fun today. I am sure that our pioneer in Spanish tennis, Manolo Santana, has also cheered wherever he is. A big hug and enjoy the moment, champion,” wrote Nadal, who won two of his 22 grand slams at Wimbledon, in 2008 and 2010. Manuel ‘Manolo’ Santana, who died at the end of 2021, was the first Spanish winner at Wimbledon in 1966 and also won Roland Garros (1961, 1964) and the US Open (1965).
Djokovic: ‘I’m glad my sons can still laugh’
Losing finalist Novak Djokovic gave the first interview after the final at Wimbledon as usual. “It was a wonderful final. The outcome is unfortunately not so good for me, but it is for Carlos. I must start by congratulating him. You deserve it, you played really great and came back so well after that difficult first set. I expected that I would have trouble with you on hard courts and gravel, but apparently also on grass. What you did in Queens and now here at Wimbledon is really fantastic. Enhorabuena”, he congratulated the sixteen years younger winner in Spanish.
,,I played and won many exciting finals. Take the 2019 final, for example, when I was the lucky one,” Djokovic referred to the 2019 final won against Roger Federer. At 4 hours and 57 minutes, that was the longest final ever at Wimbledon. The final against Alcaraz lasted 4 hours and 43 minutes “Luck can’t always be on your side. This is Even-Steven‘, Djokovic used a British expression to indicate that things can’t always go smoothly.
“These are the games we always work hard for. I am grateful to be able to experience this, but I lost to the better player. Tomorrow it will still be painful, but I will get up and get back to work for new successes. I’m glad my two sons can still laugh,” said Djokovic, after which his emotions also came out. “I love you. Thank you for your support. We’ll give each other a big hug later, I’m already looking forward to that out.”
Wimbledon 2023
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