Wimbledon 2023: Alcaraz disbelief after beating legend Djokovic to win men's title

By James Toney at Wimbledon

Those ancient philosophers got it spot on when they said change is the only constant in life.

For two decades only four players have won the men's singles title at Wimbledon but there's a new name in gilt on the honours board at the All England Club - and you rather suspect it's just the first of many for Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.

Novak Djokovic's ten-year unbeaten run on Centre Court was ended in a five-set thriller, perhaps not a classic from the rare vintages of 1980 or 2008, but still a very special intergenerational final between two very special players.

The best of all-time, seeking his eighth Wimbledon and 24th Grand Slam, against the best in the world, new kid Alcaraz clearly enjoying most of the support, as this verdant corner of the London borough of Merton was turned into Murcia home from home.

For nearly five hours they slogged it out, both conjuring improbable shots from every angle before the top seed, competing in just his tenth Grand Slam, had the fortitude to close out a 1-6 7-6 6-1 3-6, 6-4 victory. It was exhausting to watch, let alone play in.

"It's a dream come true for me to win Wimbledon against a legend of our sport," said Alcaraz, at 20 the third youngest player to win the men's title after Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg.

"I really wanted this but I never expected to get it this soon in my career.

"I think it's great for the new generation in tennis to see me beating him and making them think they are capable of doing it too. This is great for me and the young players too."

On 11 previous occasions have the world’s top two players clashed in the Wimbledon final, the highest ranked edging that head-to-head 6-5.

Alcaraz, the current world number one, admitted seeking helping from a psychologist after nerves left him cramping in his last encounter with Djokovic at the French Open. The seven-time champion loves to see a weakness and ruthlessly exploit it and raced to the first set dropping just one game and making just two unforced errors, a performance that left you again fearing for the younger man.

Against his last two final opponents here, Matteo Berrettini and Nick Kyrgios, Djokovic came from a set down to win but they are mere mortals compared to the other worldly Alcaraz.

He claimed a second set tie-break, surviving a set point after his rival shanked a backhand, to level the scores and then closed out the next, dropping just one game, though that sentence doesn’t tell the story.

You’ll have to dig a long way through the hefty 556-page Wimbledon Compendium to find a 6-1 set that lasted over an hour. One game ran to 26 minutes and included 32 points, including seven break points, and 13 deuces.

The 2019 final, which lasted a record-breaking four hours and 57 minutes, had 68 games, this match was just 14 minutes shorter with just 44 games, many going the distance as serve after serve was returned with interest.

In total there were a staggering 44 break points, after nearly five hours of sweat and toil, Alcaraz had won just two more points - 168 v 166 - than his opponent.

Djokovic did comprehensively win the violations though, handed down by chair umpire Fergus Murphy. His habit of pushing the 25-second service clock to the limit was getting the crowd restless, an average of 20 bounces per serve surely ten too many.

It took an hour for the first heckle of ‘get on with it’ and Murphy handed down his warning a few moments later. Djokovic also picked up a code violation for smashing his racquet into the net post as the final set started to get away from him.

"You never like to lose matches like this but when the emotions are settled, I need to be very grateful," he said. "I've won very many close matches in the past here, maybe I should have lost a couple that I won, so perhaps this is even Steven.

"It's a tough one to swallow when you are so close, these are the moments we work for every day and this is just another incredible match in the history books."

He may be 16 years Alcaraz's senior but it would be too simplistic to say this was the moment a torch passed to a new generation. At 36, Djokovic is arguably in the form of his life, with an attention to fitness, diet and wellbeing that is legendary. If he stays injury-free, this rivalry could have a good couple of years in it.

"I've never played a player like him," added Djokovic.

"Roger and Rafa have their strengths and weaknesses but Carlos is a very complete player to have a successful career on all surfaces. For someone of his age to handle the nerves like that and close out the match the way he did, that's quite remarkable.

"I think Carlos has got the best attributes of Roger, Rafa and myself. He's got mental resilience and maturity of Roger, he's got a Spanish bull mentality and fighting spirit too, like Rafa, and he's got some similarities with me as well. I like how he can always adapt under pressure; I think that's been one of my strengths.

"I hope we get to play again in the US Open, I think it's great for the sport for the best two players in the world to face each in a five-set thriller."