Wimbledon 2023 LIVE: Reaction after Carlos Alcaraz defeats Novak Djokovic in final for the ages
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 1-6 7-6 6-1 3-6 6-4 to win one of the greatest ever Wimbledon finals
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic to win the Wimbledon men’s final, denying the Serbian a fifth consecutive title, in a five-set epic and one of the greatest matches ever played at the All England Club.
Alcaraz fought from a set down in an instant classic to end Djokovic’s winning run in SW19, with the match played across almost five hours of breathtaking drama. Before the final, Djokovic had won 34 consecutive matches at Wimbledon and had not lost on Centre Court since 2013, but Alcaraz overturned history to win his second grand slam title. Djokovic had also won his previous 104 grand slam matches after winning the opening set.
In doing so, the 20-year-old Spaniard brings one of the most dominant eras of tennis history to an end. Alcaraz is the first player outside of the sport’s ‘big four’ of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title since 2002. Djokovic had been bidding to join Federer by equalling his men’s record of eight singles titles, but was denied by an inspired Alcaraz.
“It’s a dream come true for me,” an emotional Alcaraz said after receiving the trophy from the Princess of Wales. “Making history in this beautiful tournament, playing a final against a legend of our sport – for me it’s incredible. It’s amazing, for a boy like me, 20 years old, to reach this kind of situation.”
Follow live updates and results from day 14 of Wimbledon, below.
Alcaraz triumphs to echo Becker and Borg
Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest men’s Wimbledon champion since Boris Becker triumphed here in 1986.
Becker, who won the tournament twice as a teenager is the youngest player to win the men’s singles when, at 17 years and 227 days, he earned success in 1985. A year later, aged 18 years and 226 days, Becker won again and no-one as young has come close to winning the men’s singles since.
Before Becker there was Bjorn Borg. Like Alcaraz, Borg’s victory in 1976 came when he was 20 - 20 years and 27 days to be exact. He has a few days on Alcaraz though, who is the third youngest man to ever win Wimbledon at 20 years and 72 days old.
Marketa Vondrousova writes her own history after Wimbledon triumph over heartbroken Ons Jabeur
Note to all: sporting fairytales are a rare occurrence. Don’t be fooled by Lionel Messi’s World Cup triumph in Qatar – that was an anomaly. Usually, when the pressure cooker is at its highest and the burden of history is barely a fingertip away, it can all get a little bit too much. And ultimately, it all proved too much for Ons Jabeur on Saturday, with Marketa Vondrousova the women’s singles champion at Wimbledon 2023.
The world No 42 – the first unseeded woman to win the ladies singles in its long history – had a bet with her coach that he would have to get the Wimbledon badge tattooed on his body if she won the title. Whether Jan Mertl will be deep down regretting that decision now is a moot point. The Czech 24-year-old, in beating five seeds in seven rounds, has pulled off one of the all-time shock streaks this past fortnight at the All England Club. In the split-second of victory, 6-4 6-4, with one final volley into the open court, she glanced in disbelief to her box before collapsing to the ground.
Vondrousova writes her own history after Wimbledon triumph over heartbroken Jabeur
Jabeur’s agonising wait for a first grand slam singles title goes on as unseeded Czech star Vondrousova keeps her cool to claim first major trophy after straight-sets final victory at the All England Club
Wimbledon: How to get tennis tickets and register for 2024 ballot
Fans keen to grab a ticket for 2024 can now declare their interest. The tournament is scheduled from 1-14 July.
The Wimbledon Public Ballot will return and entry opens in September 2023. Fans can register now and will be sent the latest information on ticketing for The Championships 2024 here.
How to get Wimbledon tickets and register for 2024 ballot
More fans than ever before are attending the Championships including thousands braving the queue for several hours
Wimbledon hero Henry Searle reassessing strategy as focus turns to men’s game
Henry Searle’s Wimbledon exploits will force his coaching team to “go back to the drawing board”.
The 17-year-old from Wolverhampton became the first British winner of the Wimbledon boys’ singles title since Stanley Matthews, the son of the great footballer, in 1962.
Searle – who hit an incredible 134mph serve on his way to the title – now has his eyes on the men’s game.
Wimbledon hero Henry Searle reassessing strategy as focus turns to men’s game
Searle became the first British player to win the boys’ singles title at Wimbledon in 61 years.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte join William and Kate to watch Wimbledon final
Princess Charlotte made her debut at Wimbledon on Sunday, 16 July, as she joined Prince George, Prince William, and the Princess of Wales in the Royal Box to watch the men’s final.
The eight-year-old held Kate’s hand and greeted Wimbledon staff, police dog Stella and British wheelchair doubles’ champion Gordon Reid, as she arrived at SW19.
Charlotte watched Carlos Alcaraz defeat Novak Djokovic in a five-set epic, punching the air to celebrate.
The 20-year-old Spaniard is the first player outside of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title since 2002.
Wimbledon 2023’s best matches
Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic
Wimbledon saved the best for last as Carlos Alcaraz claimed a first SW19 title in an epic final against defending champion Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian had been unbeaten on Centre Court since Andy Murray beat him in 2013 so it was going to take something special from the Spaniard to end that 45-match run – and he delivered.
An inauspicious start saw him fall a set down quickly and then Djokovic had a set point to go 2-0 up and surely on the way to a record-equalling eighth title.
But a missed backhand proved pivotal as Alcaraz mounted an astonishing comeback to go 2-1 up before Djokovic took it to a decider by winning the fourth set.
However, the 20-year-old world number one battled back brilliantly to win 1-6 7-6 (8) 6-1 3-6 6-4.
Wimbledon 2023’s best matches
Ons Jabeur vs Aryna Sabalenka
When Aryna Sabalenka was serving at 40-30, a point away from going 5-3 up in the second set of her semi-final against Ons Jabeur having already won the first, she cannot be blamed if she allowed herself to think of the final.
The second seed had put on a resolute display against last year’s beaten finalist, hitting her way out of trouble against the tricky Tunisian to put herself on the brink of victory.
But then Jabeur preyed on a moment of weakness from Sabalenka and won three successive games to send the match to a decider.
With momentum on her side she was able to control the third set to eventually post a 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-3 victory.
Wimbledon 2023’s best matches
Elina Svitolina vs Victoria Azarenka
A Sunday night clash on Court One produced great sporting theatre, full of drama and controversy.
Underpinning the fourth-round match between two mothers was some incredible tennis, but it was the first time a Ukrainian player had come up against a Russian or Belarussian at this year’s tournament.
Elina Svitolina, who went on to lose in the semi-finals, felt that she was playing for a higher cause than herself throughout the whole tournament and after battling from a set down produced a brilliant victory in a dramatic and tense deciding tie-break to win 2-6 6-4 7-6 (9).
But it was not until after the match that the real drama happened as Svitolina, as has been customary since the war in Ukraine began, refused to shake hands with Belarussian Azarenka, who was roundly booed by the Court One crowd when she then left the stadium promptly.
Wimbledon 2023’s best matches
Holger Rune vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
This third-round match may have gone on for a minute shy of four hours but it will always be remembered for the penultimate point.
After trading two sets apiece, with the Spaniard Davidovich Fokina going two sets to one up before Rune levelled, the fifth set went to a tiebreak.
That was typically tight and the first-to-10 breaker was tied at 8-8 with Fokina serving.
What happened next left everyone in shock as the 31st seed incredibly decided to produce an underarm serve, which Rune dispatched with ease to set up match point.
He then converted at the first attempt to seal a 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 7-6 (8) victory.
Wimbledon 2023’s best matches
Andy Murray vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
It is a shame the clash between two-time champion Andy Murray and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas came as early as the second round and the pair did not disappoint over two days of action.
Starting around 7.30pm on the first Thursday, the first two tie-break sets were shared with Tsitsipas winning the first and Murray levelling up.
Murray immediately broke early in the third set which he then won, and was looking very good, but at 10.40pm the match was suspended due to the impending curfew.
They came back the following day and Murray could not regain his level, though would have had break points in the fourth set – that could have allowed him to then serve for the match – had he challenged an incorrect line call.
However, Tsitsipas was too good in the decider and sealed a 7-6 (3) 6-7 (2) 6-4 6-7 (3) 6-4 victory.
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