By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, July 14, 2023
Wimbledon—It’s the Wimbledon final the world wants: defending champion Novak Djokovic vs. world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Seven-time champion Djokovic views Sunday’s final as both his greatest possible challenge—and the tennis hunger games.
More: Wimbledon Ladies Final Preview
“He’s very motivated. He’s young,” Djokovic said of Alcaraz. “He’s hungry. I’m hungry, too, so let’s have a feast.”
Both men ride streaks into this showdown.
The second-seeded Djokovic has won 27 straight major matches, 34 consecutive grass-court matches and owns an astounding 45 wins in a row on the iconic Centre Court.
Queen’s Club champion Alcaraz has won 11 matches in a row on London’s grass.
In their last meeting in last month’s Roland Garros semifinals, No. 3 Djokovic battered No. 1 Alcaraz with body blows until he broke him down in a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory to reach his seventh Roland Garros final and 34th major championship match.
Five weeks after a ruthless Djokovic dispensed growing pains in Paris, he sounds pumped to give the people what they want: Another quality clash vs. Alcaraz.
“This is probably the most anticipated finals I guess from the beginning of the tournament, from most of the people, Alcaraz, myself,” Djokovic told the media at Wimbledon after defeating Jannik Sinner in straight sets. “It will be his first finals in Wimbledon…
“We had a very good match until he started struggling physically in Paris. I think we really took the level of tennis very high. I think was great for the audience and great for us players to be part of that. Obviously completely different conditions here. Grass is massively different from clay.”
US Open champion Alcaraz, whose lone win over Djokovic came on Madrid’s clay in 2022, said the single toughest task of facing Djokovic is coping with the relentless pressure he imposes over best-of-five sets.
“The pressure. I would say the pressure that [Djokovic] put to everyone,” Alcaraz said. “You know, not only to me, to everyone to play at their best about three hours in a Grand Slam. I’m talking about the Grand Slam.
“I have to deal with that, but is something that I really want it. I hope to play a final here against him. But for me, this probably is the toughest thing facing Novak.”
Grass rewards athleticism, all-court acumen and improvisational skill—qualities both finalists share.
They are two of the fastest men in…
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