Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz ready for Wimbledon final rematch

LONDON – Carlos Alcaraz is just a few months away from his 21st birthday, and yet all this Grand Slam success has already meant something to him.

Alcaraz moved one step closer to a second consecutive Wimbledon trophy and fourth major championship overall, defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals on Center Court on Friday. Got off to a bad start. ,

“I feel like I’m not new anymore. I feel like I know how I will feel before the finals. I have been in this position before,” Alcaraz said. “I’ll try to do the things I did well last year and try to get better.”

Like last year, his opponent in the title match will be Novak Djokovic, who advanced to the other semi-final with a 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-4 win against No. 25 seed Lorenzo Musetti.

Djokovic won 15 out of 16 points by going to the net in the first set and finished with 43 out of 56 points in that category.

This will be the first time since Djokovic defeated Roger Federer in 2014 and 2015 that the same two players will face each other in consecutive Wimbledon finals.

Djokovic, who did not reach any tournament finals all season and required surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee in June, will compete for his eighth championship at the All England Club.

It would equal Federer’s men’s record for most – and put him one behind Martina Navratilova’s record of nine – while the 37-year-old Serbian would become the first player in tennis history to win a total of 25 Grand Slam titles in a career.

“I know what I have to do,” Alcaraz said. “I’m sure he knows what he needs to do to beat me.”

Late in Djokovic’s semifinal, when he missed his first three match points, fans expecting a long match chanted “Lo-ren-zo!” Started raising slogans.

one shouted during one point, upsetting Djokovic, who was soon jokingly wiping away fake tears after Musetti failed to convert a break chance in the last game.

No. 2 seed Djokovic ultimately reached his 10th final at Wimbledon and 37th major final.

“I don’t want to stop here,” Djokovic said. “Hopefully I can get that trophy on Sunday.”

After such an opening set against Medvedev, Alcaraz transformed into an energetic, aggressive, crowd-pleasing force, already the first teenager to become No. 1 in the ATP rankings and the youngest man to win a major trophy. Is. Three surfaces: grass, clay and hard courts.

Now the Spaniard is one win away from joining Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg as the only men in the Open era, which began in 1968, to win multiple championships at the All England Club before the age of 22.

Alcaraz also won the US Open in 2022 and the French Open last month and is 3-0 in major finals.

A year ago at Wimbledon, Alcaraz defeated 2021 US Open champion Medvedev in straight sets in the semi-finals – “He crushed me,” Medvedev recalled – before defeating Djokovic in five sets.

On an overcast afternoon – the roof of the main stadium was open because there had been no rain in the first 1 1/2 weeks of the tournament – ​​No. 3 seed Alcaraz faced some ups and downs against No. 5 Medvedev. , a 28-year-old man from Russia.

“I was really nervous,” Alcaraz said. “He was dominating the match, playing great tennis. …It was difficult for me.”

Actually, Medvedev took a 5-2 lead early on, but then got into trouble with his play and his temper.

Alcaraz got within 5-4 with a drop shot, which chair umpire Eva Asderaki ruled – according to TV replays – bounced twice before Medvedev got his racket on the ball.

He expressed his displeasure, and after leaving his seat to clash with tournament referee Dennis Parnell during the ensuing changeover, Asderaki issued Medvedev a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I said something in Russian. “Not unpleasant, but not beyond the limits,” Medvedev said at his news conference.

He regrouped quickly and was perfect in the tiebreaker of that set.

Then it was Alcaraz’s turn to move in the right direction, which didn’t take much time.

He needed one last break to lead 4-3 in the fourth when Medvedev sent a backhand long, then sat down in his sideline chair, locked eyes with his two coaches and began muttering and pointing.

“I was playing well and it wasn’t enough,” Medvedev said.

Almost every time Alcaraz uttered one of his “Uh-eh!” emitted. The two-syllable grunt as he unleashed a booming forehand left the audience holding their breath, whether the conversation was continuing or not.

Often, this did not happen: 24 of the match’s 28 forehand winners were produced by Alcaraz’s racquet.

As dangerous as Alcaraz can be on offense, his defense is also astonishing.

Sometimes, it feels as if an exchange isn’t over until it decides it is.

And if that appears to be the case from the comfort of the stands, just imagine how frustrating it must be for enemies.

At one point, Alcaraz left a skid mark several feet long in the grass when he ran to reach a ball apparently out of reach, then slipped.

He sent a lob that took Medvedev up.

In addition to the Wimbledon men’s final, Sunday’s sporting schedule also includes the final of the men’s football European Championship in Germany, where Spain will face England.

When Alcaraz hinted in his on-court interview by saying, “It’s going to be a really good day for the Spanish people too,” he was criticized by the locals. Alcaraz smiled and said: “I didn’t say Spain was going to win. I just said it’s going to be a really fun, fun day.”