The matchup we’ve all been waiting for is on Sunday: No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz vs. No. 2 Novak Djokovic. If Djokovic wins, he’ll set the record for the most Grand Slam titles of the Open era. If Alcaraz takes the title, it’ll be his second major win and a huge upset. Who will do it? We asked our experts:
What can Alcaraz do to defeat Djokovic?
Pam Shriver: Alcaraz needs to manage the emotions of playing the biggest match in tennis, a Wimbledon final vs. Djokovic, who is compiling the greatest resume in tennis history. We often talk about how important the intangibles are, but never have they been more important than this match. Alcaraz has the power, variety, mobility and mentality to beat Djokovic, if the 20-year-old can manage the occasion. Obviously to beat Djokovic over 5 sets, a player needs to play well in all aspects of the game. It feels a little too early in Alcaraz’s career for him to beat Djokovic. It took Nadal a few tries to beat Federer on grass.
Bill Connelly: Stay loose before the match! Over the first five sets that Alcaraz played against Djokovic, he won three of them and matched the legend’s level almost the whole time. We know Alcaraz is bold and fast, we know how hard he can hit a tennis ball, and, as he reminded us constantly against Daniil Medvedev in the semis, we know he can be brutally accurate as well. Alcaraz changes the dimensions of the court, and this last month has shown us that he’s quickly figuring out grass-court life, too.
We also know that, as with Djokovic early in his own career, Alcaraz’s body hits its limits sometimes. He’s had to battle through some injuries, and of course he cramped up significantly in the tension of the moment against Djokovic in the French Open semis. If Alcaraz is able to play his game and play with peak physicality, he could absolutely give Djokovic a challenge.
Tom Hamilton: Other than doing all he can to avoid the cramp which derailed him in Roland Garros, Alcaraz has to park any thoughts of the man opposite him Sunday. Djokovic lives rent-free in most of his competitors’ heads. Alcaraz is certainly an admirer of Djokovic and has talked about studying how he moves on grass, but he also knows full well the dominance he’s up against.
Moments after Alcaraz won at Queen’s in June, he recited Djokovic’s Wimbledon record — Djokovic had won 86 matches at that point, more than the rest of the top 20 put together. This is the scale of the task facing Alcaraz on Sunday. He needs to…
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