{"id":84216,"date":"2023-07-16T07:07:21","date_gmt":"2023-07-16T07:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/07\/16\/novak-djokovic-faces-carlos-alcaraz-in-mens\/"},"modified":"2023-07-16T07:07:21","modified_gmt":"2023-07-16T07:07:21","slug":"novak-djokovic-faces-carlos-alcaraz-in-mens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/07\/16\/novak-djokovic-faces-carlos-alcaraz-in-mens\/","title":{"rendered":"Novak Djokovic faces Carlos Alcaraz in men’s"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Djokovic is playing in his ninth Wimbledon final, while Alcaraz makes his debut in the showpiece match
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Defending champion Novak Djokovic believes his eagerly anticipated Wimbledon meeting with top seed Carlos Alcaraz is \u201cprobably the best final\u201d there could have been.<\/p>\n

Serbia\u2019s Djokovic, 36, and 20-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz meet on Centre Court at 14:00 BST on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Second seed Djokovic goes for an eighth men\u2019s title and 24th major \u2013 which would both be record-equalling feats.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe\u2019s hungry. I\u2019m hungry, too, so let\u2019s have a feast,\u201d said Djokovic.<\/p>\n

The pair have been two of the leading players on the ATP Tour this year and jostled for position as the world number one.<\/p>\n

Djokovic has won the Australian Open and French Open in 2023 to move ahead of Rafael Nadal\u2019s tally of 22 major titles.<\/p>\n

Now he needs one more to equal Margaret Court\u2019s all-time record of 24 triumphs.<\/p>\n

Alcaraz, who missed Melbourne through injury and lost to Djokovic at Roland Garros, has won a tour-high five ATP titles this year and no man has won as many matches in 2023.<\/p>\n

He is looking to win a second major title after claiming a first at the US Open last year.<\/p>\n

The triumph also made him the first teenager to become the men\u2019s world number one.<\/p>\n

\u201cJudging by the performances we have seen from all the players, I think this is probably the best finals we could have,\u201d Djokovic said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are both in good form. We\u2019re both playing well.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is probably the most anticipated finals I guess from the beginning of the tournament, from most of the people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wimbledon king versus the young pretender<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the players being the top two seeds on the basis of their world rankings, Djokovic and Alcaraz were put in the opposite sides of the draw and only able to meet if they both reached the final.<\/p>\n

The pair being at the opposite ends of their careers is one of the reasons the emerging rivalry is so intriguing and exciting.<\/p>\n

Djokovic has a wealth of experience at the All England Club and a formidable record.<\/p>\n

Among a list of mind-boggling statistics, Djokovic is aiming for:<\/p>\n

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  • a fifth successive men\u2019s title, with only Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer having achieved it<\/li>\n
  • an eighth overall title, matching Federer\u2019s men\u2019s record<\/li>\n
  • a 24th major triumph, equalling Australian Margaret Court\u2019s all-time leading tally<\/li>\n
  • a 35th consecutive match win at Wimbledon<\/li>\n
  • a 46th straight win on Centre Court, a run stretching back to 2013<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    By contrast, Alcaraz is playing in his first Wimbledon final \u2013 in only his fourth professional tournament on grass.<\/p>\n

    Growing up in Murcia, clay courts are seen as his most natural surface and hard courts are where he won his first major at Flushing Meadows last year.<\/p>\n

    Alcaraz won the Queen\u2019s title in June and has further underlined his prowess on the grass at the All England Club.<\/p>\n

    Now he is bidding to become the third youngest man to win Wimbledon in the Open era.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt is a dream,\u201d said Alcaraz after beating Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThis one was probably one of my best matches, not only on grass but on the tour.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI rate it like eight from 10, something like that. It was amazing for me. I showed a great level.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Can Alcaraz handle his nerves?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    While Djokovic and Alcaraz have been considered as the two best men\u2019s players in the past year, meetings between the two have been rare.<\/p>\n

    They finally met for the first time at a major in the French Open semi-finals last month.<\/p>\n

    The prospect of the match had the tennis world licking its lips \u2013 and the quality in the opening two sets did not disappoint.<\/p>\n

    But Alcaraz started cramping early in the third set, which he said was caused by the stress of facing an opponent as daunting as Djokovic.<\/p>\n

    Djokovic went on to win 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 and beat Norway\u2019s Casper Ruud in the final.<\/p>\n

    Alcaraz says he thinks he will \u201cbe better\u201d this time.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI will try to get into the court with not as much nerves. I\u2019ll do something different,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI will prepare the match a little bit different from French Open. It\u2019s going to be different for me. I hope not to get cramp during the final.<\/p>\n

    \u201cPhysically, I\u2019ll do the same that I was doing before the matches.<\/p>\n

    \u201cProbably in the mental part I will do something different to stay calm. I\u2019ll do some exercise to stay calm and to forget \u2013 or I\u2019ll try to forget that I\u2019m going to play a final against Novak.\u201d<\/p>\n

    More on the line than just the trophy<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Djokovic is aiming for a seventh victory in the past nine majors he has played, with the carrot of regaining the world number one ranking also dangling.<\/p>\n

    He and Alcaraz have been jostling for position this season, already swapping places six times at the top of the rankings.<\/p>\n

    The winner of Sunday\u2019s final will be the world number one on Monday.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI want to take this title without a doubt. I look forward to it,\u201d said Djokovic.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a great challenge, greatest challenge that I could have at the moment from any angle really: physical, mental, emotional.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u2018Djokovic playing the best tennis of his life\u2019 \u2013 analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Djokovic is aiming to become the oldest man to win Wimbledon in the Open era and the first player to win multiple titles after turning 35.<\/p>\n

    Four-time semi-finalist Tim Henman believes Djokovic is playing \u201cthe best tennis of his life\u201d.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHe is so complete in every area. At 26 there were weaknesses,\u201d said former British number one Henman.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHis slice backhand wasn\u2019t so good, he wasn\u2019t so comfortable at the net.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHis serve was nowhere near as good as it is now, and he\u2019s got that extra 10 years of experience. So for me he is playing his best.\u201d<\/p>\n

    American seven-time major champion John McEnroe agrees Djokovic \u2013 who joked after his semi-final win over Jannik Sinner that \u201c36 is the new 26\u201d \u2013 is playing better than ever.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThis will be a tall order for Carlos, especially after what happened in Paris,\u201d said McEnroe.<\/p>\n

    \u201cOf course, he has a chance in the final. If he does his thing and does it well I think he can win Wimbledon, absolutely. I think he will win Wimbledon on more than one occasion.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI think he\u2019s ready to potentially win it this year. I\u2019m very much looking forward to seeing what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

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