For nearly five hours during last year’s men’s singles final, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic battled for the Wimbledon title. Alcaraz staged a thrilling comeback, defeating a player who had, up until that point, not lost a match on Centre Court for a decade.
Alcaraz grew up watching his hero Rafael Nadal win Grand Slams on every surface, and Alcaraz’s incredible physicality and fast-paced footwork has enabled him to expertly cover the court, while his dominant use of the topspin forehand has seen him defeat many worthy opponents.
Many view Alcaraz’s playing style as a combination of ‘The Big Four’ - Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray. His drive, speed, consistency and mental strength along with his ability to play on clay, hard courts and grass, has undoubtedly helped secure his rise to the top.
During the men’s final, Alcaraz displayed astonishing strength and self-belief when it looked like Djokovic’s experience might secure him a historic eighth title, taking the first set 6-1. But Alcaraz’s determination and tenacity saw him come back in the second set, taking it to a tiebreak, before defeating the Serbian in five sets. As Djokovic’s forehand hit the net, Alcaraz fell to the hallowed Centre Court grass as a first time Wimbledon champion.
