IN front of two future monarchs, the King of Wimbledon was spectacularly dethroned by Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set epic.
Novak Djokovic’s 46-match winning streak on Centre Court – dating 10 years, and his run of four successive men’s singles titles at the All England Club, was halted by a 1-6 7-6 6-1 3-6 6-4? victory for the brilliant 20-year-old Spaniard.
Carlos Alcaraz ended Novak Djokovic’s reign to win his first-ever Wimbledon crown
Djokovic could not get the better of his younger opponent
Alcaraz dropped to the ground following the stunning win
With his flamboyant showmanship and breathtaking shot-making, world No 1 Alcaraz illuminates tennis as his compatriot Seve Ballesteros once lit up golf courses.
Prince William and Prince George were in the Royal Box, while Brad Pitt was sat in front of the media seats – yet the housewives of Middle England had eyes only for Alcaraz, as he was roared on to victory against the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
When Djokovic – who for all of his seven titles has never commanded the love of this place – reeled off the first five games of this final, the crowd were yearning for a genuine contest, let alone an Alcaraz victory.
Yet they got both as the young Matador from Murcia, 16 years Djokovic’s junior, staged an outstanding comeback.
First, he ended the champion’s run of 15 consecutive Grand Slam tie-break wins and then by clinching an epic 26-minute game, which included 13 deuces to break the champion’s serve on his way to a crushing third-set success.
After Djokovic bit back in the fourth, U.S Open champion Alcaraz raised his game still further to clinch the decider.
Alcaraz has the daring, the imagination and the sheer power to be an all-time great of this sport.
The way he leaps into shots like a cat on a hot tin roof, the flourish of his follow-throughs, and his extraordinary ability to up the tempo of a rally with his spanking ground strokes makes this young man such a thrilling watch.
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Djokovic smashed his racket during one tantrum
He thoroughly rattled Djokovic, usually so level-headed in times of strife.
And the Centre Court crowd jeered as the Serbian – who had been aiming to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Major singles titles – took an age to deliver each serve and cheered when he was handed a time violation by umpire Fergus Murphy.
When he was broken in the decider, Djokovic demolished his racket and dented the net post in an explosive temper tantrum.
It had all started off so differently as Djokovic stormed into a 5-0 lead – saving a break point in the opening game but then seizing two breaks of his own, winning a couple of marathon rallies on the way.
Djokovic took the opener 6-1 and he had never previously lost at Wimbledon after winning the first set.
Alcaraz looked frustrated and wild, the crowd roared every point he managed to win but it felt like sympathy at this point.
But if the first set was a whipping, the second was gripping.
Alcaraz produced an epic performance for the ages
Djokovic was helpless as he saw his run come to an end
The Spaniard had suffered a physical breakdown in their last meeting and lost in four sets in the French Open semi-final.
Here he showed the mental strength to grind down Djokovic, breaking him early in the second and holding himself together when the Serb struck back immediately.
The rest of the set went with serve but it was certainly eventful – Djokovic applauded an Alcarez backhand winner and then the champ crashed into his opponent’s seat as he made a full-length dive in vain.
When Djokovic went 3-0 up in the tiebreak, there seemed an air of inevitability about him taking a two-set lead.
But he netted a drop shot to lose his advantage, and netted a backhand on set point before Alcaraz sealed the breaker with a stunning backhand return winner.
Suddenly, the momentum was with the youngster and after a brilliant cross-court winner, he saw Djokovic net a backhand to break in the first game of the third.
Soon Alcaraz was punching the air and cheerleading a crowd who did not need rousing any further.
Alcaraz was in fine form as he played some incredible shots
Djokovic bravely pushed the Spaniard all the way but was unable to get the better of him
Then that endless fifth game, which included Djokovic holding a lengthy argument with the umpire – claiming Murphy was starting the service clock too early leaving him no time to grab a towel between points.
It was clear the iceman was sweating long before Alcaraz seized his seventh breakpoint of the game when Djokovic went long after the Spaniard made an outstanding save from way beyond the baseline.
Alcaraz stormed through the remainder of the set,
Djokovic went off for a lengthy, perhaps tactical, toilet break, and he broke Alcaraz in the fifth game of the fourth set – the kid duffing a drop shot on break point and lashes out in anger at his kitbag as the champion blew sarcastic kisses to the crowd.
Alcaraz suffered a nasty fall, doing the splits on the greasy surface, and Djokovic broke again before this thriller headed into a deciding set.
Djokovic saved a break point in the opening game, then blew an opportunity of his own in the second, netting a smash after an extraordinarily rally before Alcaraz held courtesy of a dreamy drop shot and a crashing passing winner.
Alcaraz then seized his own chance, thudding a forehand winner to break after Djokovic fell, then recovered, during another sensational exchange.
That sparked Djokovic’s racket smash and a code violation from the umpire.
Alcaraz got out his sledgehammer serve – including a 121mph second effort – to get out of trouble in the sixth game.
The Spaniard served for the match nervelessly – including a lobbed winner and a stretching backhand volley before Djokovic netted on match point and Alcaraz climbed up to the player’s box to embrace his team.
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