Wimbledon 2023 Final Highlights: Alcaraz beats defending champion Djokovic to win maiden Wimbledon and second Grand Slam title
THE TIMES OF INDIA | Jul 16, 2023, 23:56:58 IST
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Wimbledon 2023 Final Highlights: Alcaraz beats defending champion Djokovic to win maiden Wimbledon and second Grand Slam title

World number one Carlos Alcaraz ended Novak Djokovic's long reign at the All England Club to win his first Wimbledon title with a 1-6 7-6(6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 victory in the final. The Spaniard, 20, beat the seven-time champion to become the youngest man to lift the Challenge Cup since 18-year-old Boris Becker won the second of his three Wimbledon titles in 1986.
20:17 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 5-5 Djokovic
What a point! Djokovic won a stunning net point to level the second set 5-5. Crowd is going berserk with the level of competition at the moment. Both players are giving their all for each point. What a match.
20:09 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 5-4 Djokovic
Big serves from Alcaraz, including an ace, as he won the game to lead the second set 5-4. Djokovic had a nasty fall in it, after slipping on the grass. It was not the first slip for Djokovic in the match, but this one was a bit nasty and even the racquet slipped from his hand during the fall.
20:05 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 4-4 Djokovic
Djokovic held his service game to level the score in the second set. Fairly comfortable game for Djokovic, with Alcaraz winning just one point in it.
19:59 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 4-3 Djokovic
Almost a perfect game for Alcaraz, winning it on love. After two points from two rallies, Alcaraz came up with a forehand down the line winner to make it 40-0, before an ace wrapped it up for the Spaniard.
19:56 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 3-3 Djokovic
Alcaraz started superbly in the game, winning the first two points for a lead of 30-0. Alcaraz won them with an exquisite drop shot and a winner, but Djokovic came up with a couple of big serves to come back and level the set at 3-3. This one is going to the wires.
19:49 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 3-2 Djokovic
Alcaraz had to dig deep to hold his service game and lead the second set 3-2. Alcaraz was leading 40-15 when Djokovic produced two big winners to take the game to deuce. But Alcaraz held his nerves to hold the game.
19:43 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 2-2 Djokovic
What a game! Djokovic saved a breakpoint to level the set 2-2. Down at 30-40, Djokovic won a 29-shot rally to take the game to deuce, before coming up with a volley winner at the net. A big serve then wrapped up the game for the Serbian.
19:34 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 2-1 Djokovic
Djokovic roared back as he broke Alcaraz to open his account in the second set. Alcaraz hit a couple of big forehand shots long to give away the game to Djokovic. Another tight game as the contest heats up at the Centre Court. Alcaraz's drop shots not giving him the desired outcome in the match so far.
19:28 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 2-0 Djokovic
Finally Alcaraz is in the lead, breaking Djokovic for the first time in the final. A tight and long game it was, lasting 8 minutes of game time. Alcaraz raced to 30-0 on Djokovic's serves, but played unforced errors to give away the advantage. But the first breakpoint he earned, he capitalised it to take a crucial 2-0 lead in the second set.
19:18 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 2 -> Alcaraz 1-0 Djokovic
First easy game for Alcaraz as he started the second set on a positive note. World No.1 won it comfortably on 15.
19:18 (IST) Jul 16
Djokovic in command
19:14 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Novak Djokovic wins the first set 6-1 against Carlos Alcaraz
Djokovic sealed the first set with an overhead winner from the net. And it was a quick service game for Djokovic, winning it on love. Alcaraz needs to up his ante in the coming sets to remain in the contest against 'almost' unstoppable Djokovic at the moment.
19:11 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 1 -> Alcaraz 1-5 Djokovic
Alcaraz opened his account with a 'classy' on the line forehand passing shot as he trailed 1-5 in the first set. Looking to hold his first service game, Alcaraz raced to 30-0 before conceding two consecutive points. But he managed to come up with two big winners to win the game.
19:07 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 1 -> Alcaraz 0-5 Djokovic
A quick game for Djokovic, winning it on 15. The Serbian finished it off with a volley forehand winner from the net. Alcaraz looks clueless so far against the relentless Djokovic.
19:04 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 1 -> Alcaraz 0-4 Djokovic
Djokovic broke Alcaraz again to take a substantial lead in the first set. Alcaraz saved two breakpoints to take the game to deuce, but failed to save the third against a relentless Djokovic. From down by a breakpoint in the very first game of the contest, Djokovic has turned around the contest and now leads 4-0.
18:58 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 1 -> Alcaraz 0-3 Djokovic
Djokovic wrapped up the game with an ace in the middle. He was 15-30 down at one time, before he raced to 40-30 with two long rallies. Advantage Djokovic early in the summit clash.
18:51 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 1 -> Alcaraz 0-2 Djokovic
Djokovic broke the first service game of Alcaraz to take a 2-0 lead in the first set. Three unforced errors and with no time, Djokovic was with three breakpoints in the game. Alcaraz fought back to earn two points, one with a cracking forehand winner. But Djokovic came up with his own forehand crosscourt shot to break Alcaraz early in the contest.
18:46 (IST) Jul 16
Wimbledon Live Score: Set 1 -> Alcaraz 0-1 Djokovic
Tight first game to start the title clash, which lasted 7 minutes. Djokovic saved a breakpoint to win the first game of the big final. A backhand down the line shot and a forehand cross-court return winner gave Alcaraz the lead in the game and he had a breakpoint when Djokovic hit the net with a backhand shot. But Djokovic produced a few big serves to wrap up the game.
18:39 (IST) Jul 16
Let's Play!
18:37 (IST) Jul 16
Players are warming up now...action will begin soon
18:34 (IST) Jul 16
TOSS TIME! Carlos Alcaraz wins the toss and decides to start by receiving the serve
18:33 (IST) Jul 16
Poll
Who will win today?
18:31 (IST) Jul 16
The players enter the Centre Court with loud cheers from the fans.
18:31 (IST) Jul 16
Who are you supporting today?
18:29 (IST) Jul 16

He's the best 20-year-old I've ever seen in my life. He has everything -- unbelievable game, unbelievable athlete, great personality. He's better than Federer at that age, better than all of them.

John McEnroe

18:20 (IST) Jul 16
Alcaraz will go into the final backed by a ringing endorsement from three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe.
18:17 (IST) Jul 16
Just hours earlier, Djokovic had feigned mock tears and cupped his ear in response to pro-Sinner supporters. "All love. It's all love. All love and acceptance," he told reporters.
18:13 (IST) Jul 16
There were wild cheers when Alcaraz told a courtside TV interviewer after his semi-final demolition of Daniil Medvedev that he believed he could beat Djokovic and that it was "no time to be afraid".
18:10 (IST) Jul 16
Alcaraz will likely enjoy most of the crowd support as All England Club fans, in common with most around the world, remain stoically ambivalent towards Djokovic despite his status.
18:07 (IST) Jul 16

This is going to be the best moment of my life. Playing a final here in Wimbledon is something that I dream about when I start playing tennis. It's even better playing against Novak. It's going to be a really emotional moment for me. For Novak it is one more day, one more moment.

Carlos Alcaraz, who described Djokovic as a "legend" of tennis

18:05 (IST) Jul 16
Alcaraz vs Djokovic: Their progress to the final has been similar. Both have only lost two sets. They have spent virtually the same amount of time on court.
18:02 (IST) Jul 16
"He's in great shape," Djokovic said of Alcaraz. "He's very motivated. He's young. He's hungry. I'm hungry, too, so let's have a feast."
17:59 (IST) Jul 16
Novak Djokovic has won 34 successive matches at the tournament and has not been beaten on Centre Court since losing the 2013 final to Andy Murray.
17:57 (IST) Jul 16
Today will be Alcaraz's first Wimbledon final in just his fourth grass-court event. Djokovic is in his ninth championship match at the All England Club.
17:55 (IST) Jul 16
Despite the enormity of the occasion, the Spanish star will be buoyed by knowing that he defeated Djokovic in their first meeting in Madrid last year.
17:53 (IST) Jul 16

I'll try to forget that I'm going to play a final against Novak.

Carlos Alcaraz

17:51 (IST) Jul 16
The pain of his Paris nightmare is still raw for Alcaraz who plans a series of mental exercises to counter the tension on Sunday in his first meeting with Djokovic on grass.
17:50 (IST) Jul 16
"If you think how big he is, you struggle," said Italy's Jannik Sinner who was blown off court by Djokovic in Friday's semi-final.
17:47 (IST) Jul 16
Djokovic won the mind games when the pair clashed in the French Open semi-finals in June. Alcaraz suffered body cramping, a physical collapse brought on, he freely admitted, just by the sight of Djokovic on the other side of the net.
17:42 (IST) Jul 16

I obviously have more experience. It can help a little bit in some important moments, beginning the match, managing the nerves, managing the occasion, circumstances. But it's not going to be the deciding factor really. Whoever, on a given day, is in a better state, mentally and physically, will be the winner.

Novak Djokovic

17:39 (IST) Jul 16
Alcaraz vs Djokovic: Head to Head
Alcaraz vs Djokovic: Head to Head
17:37 (IST) Jul 16
Djokovic can become Wimbledon's oldest champion while Alcaraz is bidding to be its third youngest after Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg.
17:33 (IST) Jul 16
At 20, Alcaraz is Djokovic's junior by 16 years. When Djokovic captured the first of his 23 majors at the 2008 Australian Open, the Spaniard was still three months shy of his fifth birthday.
17:24 (IST) Jul 16

It's the ultimate showdown. Everything comes down to one match. All eyes of the sports world will be directed on this Wimbledon final. It's probably the most watched tennis match globally.

Djokovic, who will be playing in a record 35th Grand Slam final

17:23 (IST) Jul 16
Having already pocketed the Australian Open and French Open in 2023, victory on Sunday will put the 36-year-old just one major away from completing the first men's calendar Grand Slam since 1969.
17:23 (IST) Jul 16
Djokovic is attempting to equal Roger Federer's record of eight titles at the All England Club and match Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 Grand Slam crowns.
17:23 (IST) Jul 16
Novak Djokovic says the sporting world will be watching his "ultimate showdown" against Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's Wimbledon final where history and a generational shift are at stake.
17:22 (IST) Jul 16
Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the 2023 Wimbledon men's singles final between World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.