Game, Set, Match Alcaraz!
Back-to-Back Wimbledon Champion! Cover picture by John Walton.
The oldest and for many the most esteemed tennis competition in the world is Wimbledon. I haven’t decided which one is my favorite yet, but I think the most elite one is definitely Wimbledon. The tournament started in 1877 and is contested every year in Wimbledon, London's All England Club. The competition lasts for two weeks in late June and early July, with the finals taking place on the second weekend in July. Wimbledon is well known for its many customs, which include an all-white dress code, spectators eating strawberries and cream, and the use of immaculate grass courts. Wimbledon, one of the four Grand Slam competitions (with the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open), draws in the best tennis players in the world, as well as a worldwide viewership by providing a fusion of athletic brilliance and cultural legacy.
For the last two weeks, I have been following the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament. The final match of gentlemen’s singles took place on Sunday, July 14th, where Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz were the finalists again, just like the 2023 final. As a tennis fan, I can say that it was thrilling to watch Carlos Alcaraz rise to victory once again, defending his title from last year. I think he has done a great job considering that his opponent was Novak Djokovic, the men’s all-time leader in Grand Slam titles with a total of 24. Alcaraz managed to win the match in three straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 7-6, reaching his fourth Grand Slam title overall.
This is the first time the young Spaniard won more than two Grand Slam titles during an ATP tour as he just won the French Open (Roland-Garros) title last month on 9th of June, defeating Alexander Zverev in the final. He has stated many times that his childhood dream was to win Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, and as a 21-year-old, he not only achieved them but also repeated one of them last Sunday.
Throughout the tournament, his opponents were Mark Lajal, Aleksandar Vukic, Frances Tiafoe, Ugo Humbert, Tommy Paul, Daniil Medvedev, and Novak Djokovic in that order. I think the most trouble he faced was during the third-round match against Frances Tiafoe, an American tennis player who is currently ranked 29th in the ATP tour. It was a five-setter with set scores 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2, and Alcaraz had to come back twice to finally close the fifth set and advance to the fourth round. Also, I think his first-round match with Mark Lajal shocked everyone, as we were all expecting an easy match whereas Lajal put out an amazing performance signaling great potential. I will be watching out for him for sure!
Overall, I think it was a great tournament for Carlos Alcaraz, not just because he ended up with the trophy but also due to the tennis level he performed, which is not always easy to achieve on a grass court. With the season going on, there are only 2 months left to find the owner of the last Grand Slam of the year. The US Open is a hard-court tournament, and there are many great players who will be competing there. I am rooting for Alcaraz, but it would be good to see a new champion as well. We’ll see. Thanks for reading, bye for now!