Alcaraz Already Like the Big 3

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, July 15, 2023

Wimbledon—Tennis is a numbers game, but some digits are deceptive.

At the tender age of 20, world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is already playing with the prowess of the Big 3, says Daniil Medvedev.

More: Djokovic Soars By Sinner

In the aftermath of Alcaraz’s annihilation of Medvedev 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the Wimbledon semifinals, the world No. 3 gave the Spanish superstar the ultimate compliment comparing his level to Big 3 champions Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

“He’s a very strong player,” Medvedev said of Alcaraz. “I would say in general to compare like the big three, they’re amazing, they win so many Grand Slams, they win so many matches.

“He’s kind of like them. He’s still 20. Already has one Grand Slam. Playing great. Been No. 1 for many, many weeks.” Asked if Alcaraz, who has split two career meetings with 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, can dethrone the seven-time Wimbledon winner, Medvedev said “yes”—then qualified his answer.

The man who denied Djokovic his dream of capturing the calendar Grand Slam winning the 2021 US Open final, said you cannot underestimate the importance of the 36-year-old Serbian’s streak of success on Centre Court.

A dominant Djokovic rides a 34-match grass-court winning streak and a record 45-match Centre Court winning streak into Sunday’s final. 

“They never played on grass. Novak on grass, what, he won – I don’t want to count – but 30-some matches in a row in Wimbledon,” Medvedev said. “So it’s going to be tough just because you play a guy who barely loses here (smiling). I think should be interesting match.”

Though Medvedev believes it could be a thriller, he won’t be tuning in to watch the final himself.

Deep disappointment over falling to Alcaraz in the semifinals prevents him from immersing himself in the final and wondering what might have been, Medvedev said. 

“It’s a very great match. I’m not going to lie, it’s a very great match to watch, but I’m not going to watch it because I’m going to be too disappointed to not be there,” Medvedev said. “I lost. I don’t deserve to be there in the final because I didn’t win today.

But if I watch it on TV, I’m probably going to digest my loss worse because I’m going to be like, My God, this forehand, this double-fault, this return, I should have done better. Let’s say Novak wins, I should have done like Novak. Why didn’t I do it? Too many…