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Updated Saturday, 15 July 2023 – 21:03
The Spaniard, with history in front of him, seeks to break the forecasts and win his second ‘major’.
Alcaraz returns a ball against Medvedev.AFP
On July 7, 2006, already two-time champion of Roland Garros, and in his third appearance at Wimbledon, Rafael Nadal fell before Roger Federer in the tournament final. The Swiss beat him 6-0, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2) and 6-3 to win his fourth consecutive title at the All England Club, eighth on his list of majors. Even with how much he had ahead of him, Federer was already a canonized tennis player on grass, with an almost invincible band.
This Sunday, July 16, 2023, in his third participation in Wimbledon, Carlos Alcaraz is facing Novak Djokovic (3:00 p.m., Movistar), a seven-time champion, who is seeking his twenty-fourth Grand Slam title. The Serbian’s records are even more intimidating than those exhibited by Federer at the time: he has been undefeated for five years on grass, where he totaled 34 consecutive victories, has won the last five editions of the tournament and no one has managed to beat him in the Central Division since he defeated him. did Andy Murray in the 2013 final (far from her, her last defeat dates back to 2017, when she retired against Tomas Berdych).
If Nadal’s challenge was enormous, the dimensions of the one that Alcaraz undertakes are even greater. He is the number 1 in the world and current champion of the United States Open, but he will have the most coveted piece in front of him right now in this tournament, as he boasts of being the one in Belgrade. He is also the player with the most Grand Slam trophies, 23, after the one achieved at Roland Garros, previously beating him in the semifinals.
Let him pay more attention to himself
Nadal lost the final to Federer again a year later, narrowing the gap further, and achieved his goal in 2008, in what is considered by many specialists and fans as the best match in the history of this game. Alcaraz approaches this monumental undertaking with words of admiration and recognition, but without lowering one iota of the conviction that has distinguished him since he began to walk the circuit three years ago.
We will try to make him pay more attention to himself and to the problems that he may cause. We already know that Djokovic’s level is going to be very high and that he knows by heart how to play a tournament that he has won seven times. Carlos goes a little more to the net. Let’s see if we can get him out of his background rhythm a bit and complicate him in that sense, says his coach, Juan Carlos Ferreroin conversation with a group of Spanish journalists.
There is a close and inevitable referent when analyzing this Sunday’s duel. Being the third between the two. Alcaraz won in three sets last year in the semifinals in Madrid, but he played a little over a month ago in the Roland Garros, devalued by the cramps caused by the anxiety of meeting Djokovic and doing it as a favourite, he estimates that he had won after a formidable run throughout the tournament.
Despite the vast amount of territory covered and conquered, at 20 years of age the Spaniard is still a newcomer. Playing his second final of a major, while for Nole it will be the thirty-fifth. The level shown throughout the tournament by no means rules him out for victory, but looking at the final in a broad context, Djokovic’s options seem greater.
Both the Spaniard and his entourage insist on the urgency of approaching the match with a different spirit, of having metabolized the unfortunate experience of Roland Garros. We are going to try to isolate him from the phone. I don’t know if we will succeed, because it is an almost lost battle, explains Ferrero. Djokovic has two arms and two legs, just like Carlos. It would be good to put history and everything else aside, because with that backpack on you it is very complicated.
51% on the second serve
At the foot of the court, relativizing the intimidating nature of the records of the tennis player who aspires to become, at 36 years and 55 days, the oldest champion of the tournament in the professional era, 92 wins and 10 losses at Wimbledon, six victories at the Last seven Grand Slam finals, 95 titles in his career, Alcaraz may feel closer if we stick to the dictates of the numbers in this edition of the tournament, although his adversary also commands the most relevant statistics there.
Alcaraz is going to feel encouraged on his service from the best receiver on the circuit, who wins 51% of the points on the rival’s second serve, compared to his 35% in that section. If the Spaniard neutralizes 76% of the break points, his opponent raises the figure to 84%. When converting their own: 35% Alcaraz, 33% Djokovic. Only in the number of unforced errors committed: 218 in Belgrade, 138 in El Palmar, does the candidate point out clear differences on his side.
To one side, almost in a corner, is the hierarchical fight. Alcaraz will keep number 1 and start his 29th week at the top of the ranking if he wins. Otherwise, it will be Novak Djokovic who recovers it, to dress it in his 390th week.
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2023-07-15 19:03:27
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