Wimbledon 2023, Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz highlights: Spaniard Alcaraz wins his first title at All England Club

Novak Djokovic: “You came out with some big serves and some big plays. You deserve it. Congratulations! I thought I had trouble with you only on clay and hard court but not on grass. Well done!”

“Obviously, it is a different story from this year onwards”

“I guess when all the emotions are settled, I have to still be very grateful because I won very many tight and close matches in the past here … Maybe I should have lost couple finals that I won, so maybe this is even steven.”

Novak Djokovic at the speech: “Nice to see my son still up there, smiling. I love you. Thank you for supporting me. I’ll give you a big hug & we can all love each other. Thank you.”

Carlos Alcaraz is the CHAMPION!

Carlos Alcaraz wins his first Wimbledon title by beating Novak Djokovic 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. He retains the World No 1 ranking. The third Spaniard to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title. 

Carlos Alcaraz is serving for the Wimbledon champion

Carlos Alcaraz with a fantastic drop followed by a lob to make it 15-15. And then a slip and pick at the net for 30-15. That was a fantastic volley. Mishit from Alcaraz on the forehand and it sits up for Djokovic to run into for a forehand winner. It is now 30-30. Big serve down the T and the return goes long. Match point. Championship point. Alcaraz with a forehand into the corner and Djokovic sends the return into the net.

Wimbledon Live

An incredible serving effort from Carlos Alcaraz. A kick serve, a zinger out wide and he holds at 15 to go 5-3 up in the fifth set

Wimbledon final Live

WHAT A SHOT! A 91mph forehand cross court winner from Carlos Alcaraz. But Djokovic shuts it all to go on and hold serve from 30-30. Alcaraz now leads 4-3

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz Live

Djokovic sends a forehand into the net to bring up break point. WHAT A POINT! AN INSANE RALLY! Djokovic stumbles but gets up to keep the point going with a deep forehand. A very short approach shot from Djokovic and Alcaraz with a backhand winner. An upset Djokovic smacks his racket into the net post. Alcaraz now leads 2-1 in the fifth set

Wimbledon Live

Novak Djokovic has a break point at 0-1 and 30-40. Carlos Alcaraz with a gorgeous defensive effort to keep the point alive. A backhand from near behind him and then sees Djokovic hit a drive volley into the net. The Serb is surprised. The Spaniard is elated. Alcaraz goes on to hold with a drop-dead-gorgeous drop shot and then a forehand winner

Novak Djokovic taking the ball earlier now, confirms HawkEye

The Hawk eye data confirm that Novak is hitting the ball much earlier in the fourth set than in the 2 previous ones.

— Patrick Mouratoglou (@pmouratoglou) July 16, 2023

Wimbledon Live

Carlos Alcaraz has a break point after a divine backhand winner down the line. But Novak Djokovic comes back with two smart and well-placed suspects. The Serb goes on to hold in the end and clenches his fist to make a strong start to the fifth set

Novak Djokovic wins the fourth set

Novak Djokovic wins the fourth set 6-3 and we’re going into the fifth set!

Five set record:

Djokovic is 37-10 (10-1 at Wimbledon)

Alcaraz is 8-1 (2-0 at Wimbledon)

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz Live

Novak Djokovic with a comfortable hold to go 5-3 up and we’re inching towards a fifth set

Wimbledon Live

Alcaraz sends the serve return into the net and Djokovic holds to consolidate the break to go 4-2 up

Wimbledon Live

Novak Djokovic slips and hits the deck on the baseline as Carlos Alcaraz goes behind him to bring up two break points at 1-0 15-30. But both go to waste with consecutive errors. Novak with a smartly placed volley into the corner to bring up game point. Alcaraz sends the serve return into the net. It is 1-1 in the fourth set

Carlos Alcaraz takes the third set

Carlos Alcaraz wins the third set 6-1 and is up by two sets to one. A gorgeous backhand winner to convert the second set point for the Spaniard. What an incredible turn around from the first set disappointment for Carlitos

Wimbledon Final Live

First set: 34 minutes

5th game of third set: 27 minute long

Carlos Alcaraz leads the third set 4-1!

Carlos Alcaraz wins the second set

Carlos Alcaraz takes the second set 7-6 (6) and makes it one set all. A sublime backhand winner beats Djokovic who looked to approach the net. What a shot that was and Alcaraz maybe should have gotten the job done at 5-4

Second set tiebreak

At 6-6, Djokovic with a second straight backhand into the net. He is bewildered and the crowd applauds

At 7-6, Alcaraz strikes a backhand winner down the line to win the second set!

Second set tiebreak

Djokovic and Alcaraz exchange a point each after the change to make it 4-4.

The ball sits up and Alcaraz plays a smart drop shot. Djokovic was caught off guard there

At 5-4, Djokovic is given a time violation. He had been teasing with it throughout the match. When the point is finally played, Djokovic gets it to make it 5-5.

At 5-5, Djokovic with a backhand winner to bring up set point

At 6-5, Djokovic hits the top of the net with the backhand. So close!

At 6-6, they change ends.

Tiebreak

Djokovic has won 15 consecutive tiebreaks at majors. This is going to be yet another arduous task for Alcaraz. It is 3-3 at the change in the tiebreak as Djokovic’s attempted drop shot doesn’t come off

Alcaraz 1-6, 6-6 Djokovic (* denotes next server)

From 30-30, Djokovic holds to force a tiebreak. Two serve returns going long at this crucial stage stage

Alcaraz* 1-6, 5-5 Djokovic (* denotes next server)

Carlos Alcaraz goes for a drop shot on deuce but it doesn’t come through. It brings up game point for Djokovic. Things not easy and plain sailing for Djokovic anymore. Alcaraz with a lovely drop shot and Djokovic, in an ideal, human world would not have gotten to it. Except he gets there in some time to play an angled drop shot of his own. Alcaraz gets to it but is unable to get the ball up and over. He hits the deck and Djokovic makes a sarcastic smile and gesture to the crowd. ‘Not bad, was it?’

Vika thinks it is a stretch to call Alcaraz favourite vs Djokovic. Agree?

Alcaraz is unreal talent and already an incredible player and he is only getting better, but to pick him as a favorite against Djokovic today in Wimbledon is a stretch in my opinion…
Anyway I hate predictions and all the bs talk… I’d rather enjoy the game 🎾 ✌🏻

— victoria azarenka (@vika7) July 16, 2023

Alcaraz* 1-6, 4-4 Djokovic (* denotes next server)

Alcaraz goes for a fierce backhand return on the serve but has overcooked it. Djokovic holds and gestures angrily at his box with the game not going as smoothly as the first set

Wimbledon Live

Jonathan Bailey, Ariana Grande, Andrew Garfield, Tom Hiddleston and Woo-bin Kim also in attendance. As are Andy Murray and men’s doubles champion Neal Skupski

Alcaraz* 1-6, 2-2 Djokovic (* denotes next server)

Djokovic is rushed into a forehand and he smacks it into the net to bring up a break point for Alcaraz. And it is shut down after a 29-shot rally. Sublime rally with both players hitting some incredible deep shots before Djokovic gets the upper hand. Djokovic holds with a thumping big serve which doesn’t come back

Alcaraz 1-6, 2-1 *Djokovic (* denotes next server)

Huge roar from Novak Djokovic as Carlos Alcaraz’s forehand goes into the tramlines. Djokovic has broken Alcaraz back to bring the second set on sevre. Error prone game from Alcaraz and he has been made to pay for it

Alcaraz* 1-6, 2-0 Djokovic (* denotes next server)

Novak Djokovix is BROKEN! Having saved two break points, Djokovic is broken! A backhand unforced error from the Serb and he is broken for just the fourth time this Championship!

Novak Djokovic wins the first set!

Novak Djokovic takes the opening set 6-1 and Carlos Alcaraz has barely had a look in! 

Stat: Djokovic is 79-1 at Wimbledon when he’s won the first set!