Alcaraz vs. Djokovic one more time
LONDON -LONDON – Carlos Alcaraz is only a few months from his 21st birthday and yet, this entire Grand Slam success thing is already a bit be-there and done with for Carlos Alcaraz.
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LONDON -LONDON – Carlos Alcaraz is only a couple of months from his 21st birthday and the entire Grand Slam success thing is already a little bit dated and done for Carlos Alcaraz.
A step closer to the third consecutive Wimbledon trophy and the fourth major title in all, Alcaraz overcame a shaky beginning on Friday to defeat Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (1) 6-1, 6-3 6-1 and 6-4 in the semifinals on Centre Court.
“I find myself feeling as if I’m any longer a newbie anymore. I’m confident about the way I’ll feel prior to the final. I’ve been there previously,” Alcaraz said. “I will achieve the things I did well in the past and work to improve my performance.”
As he did the year before, his foe for the title match on Sunday in the title match will be Novak Djokovic, who advanced by winning 7-6, 6-4 (2) winning 6-4 against the No. 25 seed Lorenzo Musetti. Djokovic took fifteen of his 16 points as he took to the net during the opening set and was with a score of 43 to 56 in this category.
It’s the first time that the same two men play for the first time consecutively in Wimbledon Finals after Djokovic defeated Roger Federer in 2014 and the year before in 2015.
“He’s as complete a player as they come,” Djokovic declared about Alcaraz who took the 2023 final with five sets. “It’s going to take the best of my abilities on the court overall to beat him.”
Djokovic hasn’t made it to a final in any of the tournaments this season, and required surgery in June due to the meniscus that was torn within his right knee will compete for his eighth title in the All England Club. This would be Federer’s record for the highest number of championships won by males — and make him in the same position as Martina Navratilova’s record of nine titles -and make the 37-year-old player from Serbia the first tennis player to win a record-breaking more than 25 Grand Slam titles.
“I know what I have to do,” Alcaraz declared. “I’m sure he knows what he has to do to beat me.”
In the final in which he allowed the first three match points go by and the crowd who were hoping for a longer contest started chanting “Lo-ren-zo!” One fan shouted it out in the middle of a point, causing a ruckus to Djokovic who was soon squirming in mockery after Musetti was unable to make a break-point in the final match.
The No. 2 seeded Djokovic is the one who earned a bye in the quarterfinals, when their opponent Alex de Minaur, pulled out due to hip injuries He eventually fought to make it to an 11th Wimbledon final Wimbledon and 37th in the major.
“I don’t want to stop here,” Djokovic declared. “Hopefully I’ll get my hands on that trophy.”
Musetti claimed that it didn’t appear like Djokovic was hindered in any way by his knee, that was covered with the gray sleeves.
“He showed that he’s really in great shape, not only in tennis, but physically,” Musetti said. Musetti who was competing on the main semifinal stage match for his first appearance.
After a mediocre opening match in the first set against Medvedev, Alcaraz transformed back to the energy-driven, attacking popular force that was the first teenager to rank the No. 1. in ATP rankings. He is also the youngest person to win an important prize on all three courts namely clay, grass and courts made of hard.
Today, the Spaniard is just one win away from becoming Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg as the only males in the Open period, which started in 1968. He won a number of titles in the All England Club before turning 22.
Alcaraz also won at Alcaraz also won the U.S. Open in 2022 as well as the French Open last month and is now 3-0 at major championships.
“We’re going to see a lot of him in the future, no doubt,” Djokovic stated. “He’s going to win many more Grand Slams.”
A cloudy day on a cloudy afternoon, No. 3 seeded Alcaraz had a series of challenges and ups with No. 5 Medvedev who is 28 years old from Russia.
” I started really, really nervous,” Alcaraz stated. “He was dominating the match.”
In reality, Medvedev grabbed an early 5-1 lead, but he became a target for criticism due to his behavior and his temperament.
Alcaraz broke to bring the score down to 5-4 after the drop shot, which was ruled by chair umpire Eva Asderaki ruled — correct, as per replays from the TV cameras the ball bounced two times before Medvedev hit his racket onto the ball. Medvedev expressed his displeasure and Asderaki when she climbed down from her chair to join the tournament referee Denise Parnell at the time of the switchover, issued a caution to Medvedev for unsportsmanlike behavior.
“I spoke in Russian. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was not in the way of a violation,” Medvedev said at his news conference.
He quickly regrouped and was almost perfect in the tiebreaker set.
Alcaraz was next to move towards the right direction, which was not a long time. He scored the break he’d need to gain a 4-3 advantage in the fourth, when Medvedev hit a backhand long and then sat down in his seat on the sideline and looked at his two coaches, and began speaking and pointing.
“I was playing well,” Medvedev stated, “and just it was not enough.”
Every time Alcaraz released the “Uh-eh!” two-syllable screams before throwing a powerful forehand, fans gasped, no matter if the play continued. In most cases that it didn’t. Alcaraz was able to win 24 forehands which was twenty higher than Medvedev.
Alongside in addition to Wimbledon men’s final on Sunday, the sports calendar also includes the final of the soccer men’s European Championship in Germany, in which Spain will play England.
When Alcaraz made reference to this in his interview on the court declaring, “It’s going to be a really good day for the Spanish people, as well,” Alcaraz was met with boos by the locals — possibly his biggest error of the day.
Alcaraz smiled and said: “I didn’t say Spain will be victorious. I said the day is likely to be entertaining, fun day.”
Umpire for the chair Eva Asderaki watches play during the Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Daniil Medvedev of Russia semifinal match of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on 12 July 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Carlos Alcaraz from Spain is seen playing a forehand return against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia in their semifinal match in the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on July 12 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Carlos Alcaraz from Spain is seen reacting during the semifinal game against Daniil Medvedev from Russia during the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on July 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain is attempting to return match against Daniil Medvedev from Russia in their semifinal match in the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on Friday, July 12 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)
Daniil Medvedev from Russia plays a forehand back against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their semifinal match in the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on July 12 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Novak Djokovic from Serbia left shakes hands Lorenzo Musetti of Italy after winning their semifinal match in the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on Friday, July 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)
Daniil Medvedev from Russia performs a forehand return against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their semifinal match in the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on July 12 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Carlos Alcaraz from Spain performs an forehand return against Daniil Medvedev from Russia in their semifinal match in the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on Friday, July 12 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Carlos Alcaraz left, of Spain is being congratulated by Daniil Medvedev of Russia after their semifinal game in the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on 12 July 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)