WIMBLEDON, England – For years, the men’s tennis world questioned who could step up to replace the Big Three of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal once they retired. With 66 major titles among them, their dominance seemed insurmountable.
However, on Sunday, just weeks after his triumph at the French Open, 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz once again showed he was ready for the challenge by defeating Djokovic in the Wimbledon final for the second consecutive year. Unlike their classic showdown in 2023, which lasted nearly five hours, the 2024 final saw Alcaraz take control from the start and maintain his dominance. The match ended in just two hours and 27 minutes with Alcaraz winning 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4), securing his fourth major title in front of a cheering Centre Court crowd.
Alcaraz has now won all four of the major finals he has competed in. After sealing the match on his fourth championship point, he celebrated as fans rose to their feet. The presence of actual royalty in the stands underscored the feeling that Alcaraz had been crowned tennis’s next king.
Djokovic, a 24-time major champion, stated during the post-match news conference, “He was the best player of the tournament without a doubt.” With this victory, Alcaraz becomes the third-youngest man in the Open era to win four Grand Slam singles titles, following Mats Wilander and Bjorn Borg. His 4-0 major final record trails only Roger Federer (7-0) among men in their first major finals. He also joins Borg, Federer, and Rod Laver in winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.
Among active male players, Alcaraz is now behind only Djokovic (24) and Nadal (22) for the most major singles titles, surpassing Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka (each with three). This latest victory has many seeing it as more than just another trophy for Alcaraz.
Injured former world No. 13 Nick Kyrgios tweeted, “Love Djokovic, but is this maybe the first time we can say the ‘changing of the guard?!?!’”
At 21, Alcaraz is the youngest man to defend any major singles title since Nadal at the 2007 French Open. This Wimbledon victory highlighted how far he has come in his short career and over the last year.
Since his notable debut at the 2021 US Open, winning titles was expected of Alcaraz. He won his first Grand Slam at the 2022 US Open and claimed the world No. 1 ranking. Although he faced pressure and setbacks, including an injury leading to withdrawal from the 2023 Australian Open and cramping in a French Open semifinal against Djokovic, Alcaraz proved his resilience.
Entering the 2024 Wimbledon final as an underdog, Alcaraz showed remarkable growth and capability. He was broken just once in 14 service games and won 84% of his first-serve points in the final match. After losing the first set to Djokovic, he refocused and fought back to win 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
While Jannik Sinner and other young talents have shown promise, Alcaraz has continued to stand out, beating top players at the French Open and showing his prowess on grass courts at Wimbledon. His performance at Wimbledon was particularly notable as he raised his level consistently, especially after early setbacks in matches.
In the final, Alcaraz broke Djokovic in a crucial 13-minute game to start the match and maintained his lead, ultimately claiming victory in a tiebreak despite Djokovic’s resistance. His win has placed him among tennis greats.
Former world No. 1 Rod Laver tweeted, “Carlos Alcaraz’s triumph over a great champion like Novak Djokovic is a testament to his incredible talent, determination, and composure under pressure.”
Rennae Stubbs, a former player and ESPN analyst, also praised Alcaraz: “Wow, [Alcaraz] is one special young talent! I never thought I would see a player as great as Novak, Rafa & Roger, but there is no doubt in my mind this kid actually might get to 20 as well. Just phenomenal!”
Currently ranked No. 3, Alcaraz remains focused on the future, aiming to join the ranks of tennis legends. He is set to compete in the upcoming Olympic Games in singles and doubles alongside Nadal.
Reflecting on his journey, Alcaraz said, “Obviously it’s a really great start of my career, but I have to keep going. I have to keep building my path. At the end of my career, I want to sit at the same table as the big guys. That’s my main goal. That’s my dream right now.
“It doesn’t matter if I already won four Grand Slams at the age of 21. If I’m not [able to] keep going, all these tournaments for me, it doesn’t matter. I really want to keep going. I will try to keep winning and end my career with a lot of them.”