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.
From Chris Eubanks to Mirra Andreeva – Wimbledon’s headline makers in 2023
Chris Eubanks
The American was a British headline writer’s dream given the likeness of his name to the famous boxer, but it was his tennis that delivered the knockout blows.
The 27-year-old arrived in SW19 with just two grand slam match wins to his name but left a superstar after a brilliant run to the quarter-finals.
He had been working as a pundit on the Tennis Channel, but his groundstrokes did the talking as his 321 winners set a new tournament record.
Big things could be about to happen after enjoying a new lease of life and he is sure to be a star attraction at the forthcoming US Open.
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid regain their Wimbledon crown
British duo Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid thrilled a packed Court One by winning their fifth Wimbledon wheelchairs doubles title.
Hewett and Reid reclaimed the trophy, having been runners up last year, with a 3-6 6-0 6-3 victory over Japan’s Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda in three sets.
It was an 18th grand slam win for the pair and a measure of revenge for Scotsman Reid, who was beaten by Oda in the singles semi-final earlier on Saturday.
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid regain their Wimbledon crown
The British pair beat Japan’s Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda in the men’s wheelchair final.
Hewett and Reid earn more doubles joy
Britain’s Alfie Hewett and teammate Gordon Reid, triumphed in the men’s wheelchair doubles on Saturday. The home pair beat Japanese opponents Takuya Miki and Oda to post an 18th grand slam crown together.
Hewett also missed on the men’s singles crown after being beaten in the final by 17-year-old Tokito Oda from Japan. The Briton has won at the Australian Open, the French Open and US Open but his home slam has so far evaded him.
While the singles title at Wimbledon has proved problematic, Hewett had no problems in the doubles with his partner Reid and they claimed a fifth title in SW19.
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
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.
‘Big three’ dominance broken
For the first time since Ashleigh Barty won the 2022 Australian Open and subsequently retired, there was a grand slam champion from outside the so-called ‘big three’ of the women’s game.
Three-time major winner Iga Swiatek has been the dominant force post-Barty, while Arnya Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have each won one of the leading tournaments in that time.
But Sabalenka’s semi-final exit to Ons Jabeur, which prevented her from replacing Swiatek as world number one, signalled an end to the trio’s stranglehold on the slams.
World number 42 Marketa Vondrousova was the surprise new name on the trophy, becoming the first unseeded player to win the women’s tournament in her first significant grand slam run since she lost the 2019 French Open to Barty as a teenager.
Britons fail to shine on big stage
Question marks hang over the state of British tennis after home interest in the adult singles draws was wiped out before the end of week one.
Women’s number one Katie Boulter was the last Briton standing but her hopes were emphatically ended by a thumping third-round defeat to defending champion Elena Rybakina on day six.
Two-time winner Andy Murray, men’s number one Cameron Norrie and Liam Broady had all crashed out the previous day, while the raft of wild cards failed to produce a surprise package.
On a more positive note, 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu and potential star Jack Draper should soon return after missing the Championships through injury while 17-year-old Henry Searle became the first British boys’ singles champion at Wimbledon since 1962 and 14-year-old Mark Ceban won the boys’ under-14 event.
Curfew causes issues
The All England Club’s insistence on beginning Centre Court matches at 1.30pm remains a source of frustration for some.
Novak Djokovic led calls to overhaul the scheduling after his match with Hubert Hurkacz had to be suspended overnight due to the council-imposed 11pm curfew, while Andy Murray’s clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas was also impacted.
Despite objections, Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton offered no guarantees that earlier starts will be considered for next year’s tournament.
Beginning matches later makes the final contest of the day a prime-time occasion on BBC television and it appears that is now the goal, with Bolton reporting record viewing figures.
Wimbledon welcomes back Russian and Belarusian players
Russian and Belarusian players returned to Wimbledon following last year’s ban due to the invasion of Ukraine and were generally well received.
Men’s world number three Daniil Medvedev and women’s world number two Aryna Sabalenka made up for lost time by each reaching the semi-finals.
While political tensions remained relatively muted, there was a flash point when Victoria Azarenka of Belarus was jeered off court following her fourth-round defeat by Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
Azarenka, who put up her hand to acknowledge Svitolina knowing her opponent did not wish to shake hands with a player from the aggressor countries, branded fans “drunk” and unfair.
Djokovic proves mortal as Alcaraz reigns
There was a men’s final for the ages as long-time ruler Novak Djokovic, who had gone 10 years unbeaten on Centre Court, came up against the heir to the throne in the shape of Carlos Alcaraz.
Well, the Spaniard proved that he is ready to take the crown now as he won a near-five-hour final in five sets to claim a first Wimbledon title and deny his opponent a record-equalling eighth.
This is the start of a rivalry that will last as long as Djokovic carries on playing and it is fascinating to see how the 36-year-old reacts to his first SW19 defeat since 2017.
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