Over the past few years of men’s tennis, as his great rivals have retreated from view, Novak Djokovic has spent his time destroying the hopes and dreams of nearly all younger challengers at the major tournaments. Not only has he continued to hold off the next generation, but he has relished his supremacy over them.
It has been clear for a long time, though, that Carlos Alcaraz is just different. He is different both in terms of his peerless on-court talents and the supreme mental strength that underpins his success. A month after his body crumbled under the sheer tension of facing Djokovic at the French Open, Alcaraz recovered from a set deficit to perform at a remarkable level across five sets as the No 1 seed toppled Djokovic 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 to win his first Wimbledon title.
