Artistic Star will head to the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood next as connections keep half an eye on the St Leger later in the season.
Ralph Beckett’s charge made an impressive debut at Nottingham at the back end of last year and doubled his tally to remain unbeaten when returning in a hot Sandown novice event in May.
That victory earned the son of Galileo a crack at the Derby where he ran with credit in seventh behind Auguste Rodin and he followed that Epsom outing with another respectable display at Royal Ascot when third to King Of Steel in the King Edward VII Stakes.
Having made three appearances in a fairly short space of time, connections made the decision to bypass the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket’s July meeting and Artistic Star will next be seen in Group Three action during the Qatar Goodwood Festival on August 3.
“He’s training very well. We were tempted to run at Newmarket, but we decided not to and we’re going to keep him for the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood,” said David Bowe, racing manager for owner Jeff Smith.
“We’re very happy with the way he’s training and as we’ve been quoted as saying before, he has a late birth date and he has had a few quick runs together, and I think he has benefitted a little bit from a longer time between races now.
“It will hopefully do him the world of good. He’s a very nice horse and well bred and we’re in it to race and have fun, but equally the horse deserves the chance to be the horse we think he could be so we will just give him a little bit of time.”
A strong showing on the Sussex Downs, a place where owner Jeff Smith has enjoyed some memorable days, could lead to a shot at the final Classic of the season at Doncaster on September 16, with Bowe indicating the team think Town Moor could be the ideal spot for Artistic Star.
He added: “That’s exactly what we think he should be (a Leger horse). He has that sort of profile and trip-wise it looks to be ideal, so who knows. We’re definitely keeping our eye on that option for sure.”
Australian owner Nathan Bennett is eager to see if Warnie can honour the memory of Shane Warne when he attempts to continue spinning a web over his rivals in the juvenile ranks this summer.
It is 30 years since Warne shot to prominence when delivering the so-called ‘ball of the century’ to Mike Gatting in the 1993 Old Trafford Ashes test match, and as this year’s hotly-anticipated series heads to Manchester this week, Joseph O’Brien’s colt is attempting to keep the legacy of the Australian leg-spinning great burning brightly on the racecourse.
A 65,000 guineas buy earlier this year, he was immediately thrust into the spotlight when debuting in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot finishing three lengths adrift of the winner, Snellen, in ninth.
Although not disgraced in that first outing, he showed his true potential when his sights were lowered at Bellewstown recently, powering to a clear-cut victory by the best part of four lengths.
Connections are now eyeing a step up in grade for the son of Highland Reel who holds entries in both the Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes (August 19) and Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (September 10) later in the season.
“He looks a nice colt in the making and we’re looking forward to seeing him run again,” said Bennett.
“I think he learnt a lot at Royal Ascot and ran a super race there. I know he was only ninth on paper, but it was a very good ninth having been hampered a little bit up the straight. He just couldn’t get any momentum and get a free run at a couple of stages so he could have pinched a length closer and that would have brought him into the placings.
“The other day, at Bellewstown, even though he got hampered for room a little bit, he put them away like a really good horse so he looks a pretty nice horse in the making.”
It is hoped Warnie will develop into a Classic contender in time, with Bennett also eyeing prizes back in Australia for the colt when his innings in Ireland comes to an end.
He also explained how the youngster came to be named after the late cricketing star, who had a passion for racing and was a winning team captain at the 2004 Shergar Cup.
Bennett continued: “In time we could possibly bring him to Australia which would be fantastic as there is great prize-money and there’s plenty of options for him. Once he has finished his three-year-old career overseas we can look at bringing him over.
“Hopefully Warnie is looking down on him and riding him home. He looks like he might be a really nice horse so hopefully he can do it for Warnie.
“I had to name him quickly because we bought him from the breeze-up sales and Joseph said you have got seven weeks to get it done.
“I just thought of a few names and thought seeing as Warnie did his best work in the UK in the summer, and with the Ashes being on, why not name him after the great man and see if he can do his best which he is starting to do.”
Bennett’s colours have also been spotted in the UK under the Bennett Racing moniker, with both Southern Hemisphere raider The Astrologist and Ardakan on display for the Australian operation at Royal Ascot.
Ardakan is in the care of Marco Botti and has been gelded following his below-par showing in the Hardwicke Stakes in anticipation of a tilt at the Sky Bet Ebor on August 26, something which connections hope could lead to a triumphant return to Australia and a crack at the Melbourne Cup.
“He kind of turned colty at Royal Ascot and kind of lost the plot a bit, so we’ve gelded him, Bennett explained.
“We thought that was the best option to make him a racehorse. If you watch the replay, the only filly in the field he just wanted to sit with and didn’t want to go past her, so it probably makes a bit of sense and Marco also said he was showing signs of being colty.
“We’ve gelded him and we’re going to head towards the Ebor with the aim of getting him in the Melbourne Cup.
“I think they are going to use a 3lb claimer and we’ll see how we go. He was running very well in some good races out in Dubai and they are all entitled to a bad run. Sometimes once you geld them it can turn things around and I’m hoping that will be the case.”
The narrative surrounding men’s tennis changed in the split second it took for Novak Djokovic’s final forehand to hit the Centre Court net and fall to the grass.
A season that looked set to see the Serbian smash the records he has not yet claimed – a first calendar Grand Slam, an unprecedented 25th major singles title – instead has been turned on its head thanks to the brilliance of 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz.
By handing Djokovic his first Wimbledon defeat since 2017, Alcaraz has answered the one question that had been lingering – could he match and surpass the great Serbian on the biggest stage of all?
View this post on Instagram
In nearly five hours of spell-binding sporting theatre, the momentum fluctuated several times but in the end it was Alcaraz who seized his chance in a final game that demonstrated everything that makes the Spaniard such a special talent.
Wimbledon had seemed the least likely venue for him to topple Djokovic, such was the 36-year-old’s dominance and his young rival’s inexperience on grass, and, with his position as world number one strengthened, the era of Alcaraz may well be upon us.
“After this epic match, I think different about Novak in the way that probably in other tournaments, in other grand slams, I will remember this moment,” he said.
“I will think that, well, I’m ready to play five sets against him, good rallies, good sets, really long, long match and stay there physically, mentally, in tennis, in general. Probably it changes my mind a little bit after this match.”
Next month it will be Alcaraz who heads to New York as the defending US Open champion, while Djokovic has triumphed at Flushing Meadows just once in the last eight years.
There was no doubt this was a painful and unexpected loss for the Serbian, but also one that is likely to add fuel to the fire that burns so fiercely within him.
Asked if this could be the start of another great rivalry, Djokovic said with a smile: “I would hope so, for my sake. He’s going to be on the tour for quite some time. I don’t know how long I’ll be around.
“Let’s see. It’s been only three matches that we played against each other. Three really close matches. Two already this year in later stages of grand slams.
“I hope we get to play in US Open. I think it’s good for the sport, one and two in the world facing each other in almost a five-hours, five-set thriller. Couldn’t be better for our sport in general.”
The bumper TV audience and the stars from well beyond sport packed into Centre Court were testament to that fact and, health permitting, there appears no limit to what Alcaraz could go on to achieve.
One of the most staggering things about the 20-year-old is how quickly he learns under the guidance of former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero.
He had played just two tournaments on grass before arriving at Queen’s Club last month and almost lost his first match there to lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech.
He did not drop another set in taking the title and, only a few weeks after nerves caused him to cramp in the third set of his French Open semi-final against Djokovic, he proved superior over four hours and 42 minutes.
“I must say he surprised me,” said the Serbian. “He surprised everyone how quickly he adapted to grass this year. He hasn’t had too many wins on grass in the last two years that he played. Obviously him coming from clay, having the kind of style that he has.
“I think Queen’s helped him a lot. He was close to lose that first match in Queen’s. Then he started to gain momentum, more and more wins against really good players.
“I must say the slices, the chipping returns, the net play, it’s very impressive. I didn’t expect him to play so well this year on grass, but he’s proven that he’s the best player in the world, no doubt.
“He’s playing some fantastic tennis on different surfaces and he deserves to be where he is.”
Both men will now take a well-earned break before reconvening on the north American hard courts in August when Alcaraz, not Djokovic, will be the man to beat.
Brian Meehan’s Isaac Shelby looks poised to drop back to seven furlongs for the World Pool Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.
The move back in distance could prove a shrewd move with the son of Night Of Thunder, who has twice scored at Group level over the trip, claiming the Superlative Stakes as a two-year-old before adding the Greenham on his reappearance, making all in impressive style.
Since that Newbury return he has run twice over a mile and was denied by the barest of margins in search of Classic honours in the French 2000 Guineas before finishing a respectable fourth behind Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Manton handler is now looking to get his charge back to winning ways and provide the big-spending Wathnan Racing with their first victory since taking ownership of the talented colt.
“He’s in great form, he has worked well and we’re looking at possibly the Lennox for him at Goodwood,” said Meehan.
“I think in time the mile is always comfortable for him, but for the moment we have got to look at getting a prize under his belt again.”
The Qatar Goodwood Festival could also be the next port of call for promising two-year-old Toca Madera following his third-placed effort in the July Stakes at Newmarket last week.
The son of Bated Breath had failed to get involved in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, but having bounced back to show his true capabilities, has the potential to line up in the Markel Richmond Stakes on the Sussex Downs.
“I was slightly disappointed at Ascot, but I thought he really showed how good he was there at Newmarket and possibly there is going to be some more improvement in him I think,” added Meehan.
“Maybe we will go to the Richmond (August 3) if it isn’t too soon, but certainly we will have a look at the Gimcrack (York, August 25) or Prix Morny (Deauville, August 20).”
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.
But Morgan Phillips, the head coach at the Lawn Tennis Association’s national academy in Loughborough who has worked with Searle since September, will not make any hasty decisions.
“This makes us go back to the drawing board a little bit,” he said.
“When you say that it’s normally not in a positive way, but this is a very unusual ‘back to the drawing board’ situation because we have to reassess the plan and strategy for him going forward.
“Junior tennis is a massive platform going into the men’s game and that’s what I’ve worked in for a good amount of years now, the transition from junior to men’s and making them understand the big journey that’s ahead.
“So there will be definitely an element of him going into the lower tier of professional tennis.
“But also there’s a new system with the junior ranking. If you get top-10 then you get fast tracked into some Challenger events. That’s a big incentive for us as well.”
Searle’s 6-4 6-4 victory over fifth seed Yaroslav Demin on Court One, cheered on by ‘Henry’s Barmy Army’ consisting of his friends and family, capped a hugely impressive tournament.
He downed world junior number one Juan Carlos Prado Angelo in the first round and did not drop a set on his way to the title while barely seeming fazed by the attention or playing on the show courts.
Searle has come a long way since the start of the year, when he was not ranked highly enough for direct entry into the Australian Open junior tournament and his team took the decision to not travel for the qualifiers.
Phillips said: “He could’ve played qualies but we looked at the schedule and thought there would be more benefit in preparing him to go to South America and do a really good physical training block as well.
“We were looking bigger picture all the time with him. At the moment it’s working and we’ve got to keep working in that way.”
He then went to the French Open where he lost to eventual champion Dino Prizmic in the quarter-finals.
But Phillips saw enough to believe Searle had a good chance of a long run at Wimbledon.
“I never had a doubt about his ability, especially after the French Open,” he added.
“What we saw out there was very, very strong. The guy he lost to in the quarter-finals is going to be top-100 pretty soon in my opinion.
“So for me Henry was the second best player in that tournament. I think that gave us a lot of confidence.
“But it was getting him to peak for this tournament and we seemed to have got it right. Full credit to him.”
Sir Nick Faldo has urged Rory McIlroy to act like he “owns the ring” as he bids to end his lengthy major drought.
McIlroy travelled to Hoylake on Sunday afternoon following a brilliant victory in the Genesis Scottish Open, where he birdied the last two holes to edge out home favourite Robert MacIntyre.
The world number two has not tasted victory in a major championship since the 2014 US PGA, a win which came a month after he had lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool.
Two of Faldo’s Open titles came at the same venue and the six-time major winner believes McIlroy should behave as if he is the defending champion this week.
“Yeah, why not?” Faldo said. “It’s like saying ‘I own the ring, you ain’t gonna knock me down’.
“I felt that way when I came back to Muirfield in 1992 after winning in 1987. I was playing well, I was world number one, one of the favourites and all that and I thought ‘yeah, this is my spot, I’m gonna defend winning at Muirfield’.
“He’s got to be feeling good going back to somewhere he’s won before. He’s playing well. I think the most important thing is he just wants to be a golfer right now, give me a bit of space, let me breathe, let me just go and play.
“He’s one of the top few players in the world and it’s probably a nice feeling for him – he knows if he plays really well he knows the names he’s got to beat.”
Thirty-four majors have been staged since McIlroy’s last victory, with Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa and Dustin Johnson all winning multiple titles and 18 different players tasting victory once, including a 50-year-old Phil Mickelson and an injury-ravaged Tiger Woods.
McIlroy has had to settle for commendable consistency, recording 19 top-10s and finishing no worse than eighth in all four majors in 2022, although genuine chances to win on the back nine on Sunday have been relatively scarce.
In last year’s Open McIlroy led by two at the turn before being overhauled by an inspired Cameron Smith.
A month ago he shared the lead in the final round of the US Open after a birdie on the first, but failed to make another and finished a shot behind Wyndham Clark, while his only dropped shot came after a poor wedge on the par-five 14th.
“I was doing the TV and the number of times I would say this must be so demoralising, he hits it 320 yards and then hits a wedge to 60 feet and three-putts it,” Faldo added.
“That’s such a killer to a pro. If he avoids that, if his bad wedge was to 20ft, then you’re laughing.
“That’s got to be his goal, really hone that short game and somehow trick himself and just imagine you’re 16 again and this is the most important tournament in my life, I’ve got a chance to win an Open; try and find that kind of motivation.
“Nine years is a long time, not many players go nine years [between major wins] but he’s so talented. It’s not like his game’s gone downhill.
“If he can find a way to almost hit the reset button, he’s still in his prime age; he’s just got to find that little bit of trust and determination. Can you fend off everybody else?
“You’ve got three days playing against yourself before you then take on the rest of the guys. I’ve got kind of a good vibe. I think he could pull another one out. I think he has a hell of a chance.”
:: Watch The Open live from July 20-23 exclusively live on Sky Sports Golf and NOW.
The curtain has closed on Wimbledon for another year but it produced another outstanding fortnight of action.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at five stars who shone brightest.
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.
Mirra Andreeva
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva proved her run to the third round of the French Open was no fluke after she went one better at Wimbledon.
The 16-year-old, who revealed she finds British hero Andy Murray “beautiful”, got to the fourth round and was a set up before eventually losing to Madison Keys.
A fine for two racket violations shows she still has some work to do on the mental side of things, but there is no doubting that her game is already there as her point-building and defence shone through.
This was a big step for a player who is undoubtedly going to become a big star in years to come.
Elina Svitolina
There has not been a more heartwarming story than Elina Svitolina’s run to the semi-finals.
The Ukrainian is playing just her second grand slam back after giving birth in October and she put on an inspired show as she beat Venus Williams, Elise Mertens, Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek on her way to the last four, where she was eventually beaten by champion Marketa Vondrousova.
The 28-year-old was not only playing with freedom following the birth of her daughter but also fighting for a much higher cause, knowing her compatriots back in war torn Ukraine were supporting her.
Marketa Vondrousova
Vondrousova created history when she became the first unseeded player to win the women’s title at Wimbledon after her 6-4 6-4 victory over Ons Jabeur.
The Czech’s victory marks an impressive comeback after injury stalled her career having made the French Open final as a 19-year-old and she was only at Wimbledon last year to support her best friend in qualifying while wearing a cast following wrist surgery.
But now her name is on the honours board and she has a place in history, becoming just the third Czech woman to lift the title following Martina Navratilova and Petra Kvitova.
Carlos Alcaraz
The 20-year-old was not supposed to be able to play so well on grass, having played just 11 matches on the surface before this tournament.
However, Alcaraz has proved that he has everything needed to prosper after a fine run that concluded with him ending Novak Djokovic’s 45-match unbeaten run on Centre Court and winning the title.
He is the first man in 21 years not called Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray to win at Wimbledon and few can bet against him having a career similar to those four greats.
It is ominous for the rest of the world as, once Djokovic finally departs from the scene, Alcaraz is now surely going to dominate on all surfaces for years to come.
Darren Clarke became the oldest Open champion since 1967 on this day in 2011.
The 42-year-old Northern Irishman shot an even-par 70 on the final day to hold off the challenge of American duo Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson and win by three strokes at Royal St George’s, Sandwich.
It was an emotional victory as Clarke had lost his wife Heather to breast cancer five years earlier, with their two sons watching on at home across the Irish Sea.
“I’ve been writing this speech for 20 years now and it’s been a long bumpy road,” said Clarke, who had held the lead since the second day at the Kent course.
“This means a lot to me and my family and as you may know there is someone up there looking down on me as well.”
It was the third win for a Northern Irishman at a major in the space of 13 months after Graeme McDowell’s 2010 US Open success and Rory McIlroy’s victory at the 2011 edition at Congression Country Club, Maryland, a month earlier.
Clarke became the oldest Open champion since Roberto De Vicenzo’s triumph in 1967 at the age of 44.
Britain’s leading players were sunning themselves on holiday as the Wimbledon finals took centre stage.
The tournament was not even at the half-way stage when Katie Boulter’s late-night demolition by Elena Rybakina ended home singles hopes in the third round.
There had been some good moments, notably a first victory on Centre Court for Liam Broady against fourth seed Casper Ruud to join Boulter in the third round.
View this post on Instagram
Boulter is now well inside the top 100 after building on her first WTA Tour title in Nottingham, with the player she beat in the final, Jodie Burrage, also set to hit two figures for the first time.
But there is no sugarcoating the fact that the only female British players in singles at Wimbledon needed wild cards and there were none at all at the French Open.
For a country that hosts a grand slam and receives more than £40million in no-strings-attached funding from the All England Club a year, that is clearly not good enough.
The incredible success of Andy Murray, followed by standout moments for Emma Raducanu, Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie, has masked what remain stubborn weaknesses, and now the mask has fallen, what lies behind is not a particularly pretty sight.
It is certainly not all doom and gloom – there remain four British men in the top 100, a number that would have been cause for champagne corks popping for much of the last 40 years, with Norrie and Dan Evans consistent top-30 players.
Boulter and Burrage have a great chance to establish themselves in the top 100 and become grand slam regulars, while Harriet Dart, Katie Swan, Heather Watson and Broady are also within striking distance.
But true strength in depth remains an elusive goal, and even that does not guarantee second-week interest at grand slams.
It was interesting to hear French tennis officials having to answer the same questions as their Lawn Tennis Association counterparts over a slew of early exits at Roland Garros despite France boasting 12 players in the men’s top 100.
View this post on Instagram
Of the grand slam nations, only the US, with its advantages in population, facilities and weather, has a good balance of numbers and high-ranked players, and even they are wondering where their next slam champion is coming from.
Eastern European nations with a fraction of the budget have been far more successful in creating winners, and that is a conundrum the wealthier federations continue to try to crack.
The LTA has puts its eggs in the basket of a national academy in Loughborough that heavily funds and supports a small group of teenage players.
The jury remains out on whether it is the best use of the governing body’s millions but there is at least evidence it is working for the players who are there.
Girls’ singles quarter-finalists Ranah Stoiber and Mika Stojsavljevic are both among the chosen few, as is 17-year-old Henry Searle, who brilliantly ended a 61-year wait for a boys’ singles champion at Wimbledon in maybe the best moment of the tournament for the home nation.
Translating junior success into a strong professional career is never a given but Searle is clearly a big talent and there is a group of promising girls including Stoiber, Stojsavljevic, Isabelle Lacy, Mingge Xu and 14-year-old Hannah Klugman, around whom there is a great deal of excitement.
Mark Ceban, meanwhile, cemented his status as the best 14-year-old boy in Europe by winning the under-14 title.
Patience will be needed with all of them, and the most encouraging sign in the short term would be if Raducanu and Jack Draper, who are still very early in their careers, can return to full fitness and avoid the consistent injury problems that have frustratingly held them back.
Credit should also be given to Neal Skupski, who ticked the one box missing from his CV with his first grand slam men’s doubles title, and Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid for their ongoing success in the wheelchair game.
The Russians returned, a Ukrainian charmed Centre Court, an American punched above his weight, there were protests, curfews, boos and even a spying controversy. But most unusually of all, Novak Djokovic did not win.
He came close, though. Wimbledon 2023 looked set to go the same way as the previous four in the men’s draw, Djokovic bidding to take his number of titles to eight – level with Roger Federer – and his total of grand slam wins to 24 to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record.
But along came Carlos Alcaraz, the swashbuckling 20-year-old bundle of Spanish energy, a smiling assassin, and suddenly the irresistible force had beaten the immovable object.
Djokovic was supposed to stroll to the title, a testament to his enduring greatness, but also a damning indictment of the rest of the field if a 36-year-old can knock them all over with ease.
But Alcaraz struck a blow for the young pretenders with a five-set victory over four-and-three-quarter dramatic hours, in what was only his 18th match on grass.
Alcaraz had earlier in the week shrugged off ‘spygate’ claims that his father had been seen filming Djokovic practising with all his wide-eyed, boyish charm, simply saying: “Oh, probably it is true. My father is a huge fan of tennis.”
The breakout star of the Championships was American Chris Eubanks, who landed some heavyweight shots on his run to the quarter-finals, knocking out British number one Cameron Norrie and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas along the way.
Wild card Liam Broady flew the British flag the furthest in the men’s draw, accounting for fourth seed – and renowned grass-phobe – Casper Ruud before falling to Dennis Shapovalov in round three.
The women’s champion was not so easy to pick, as has been the case for the last few years, and although a ‘big three’ has started to emerge, both world number one Iga Swiatek and defending champion Elena Rybakina exited at the quarter-final stage, and second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semis.
Unseeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina became the darling of Centre Court, reaching the semi-finals just nine months after her daughter Skai was born.
Svitolina’s stance in not shaking hands with players from Russia or Belarus, who were banned last year due to the conflict in her homeland, led to fourth-round opponent Victoria Azarenka being booed off Centre Court, with spectators assuming it was her who had snubbed the handshake.
The Wimbledon crowd evidently know more about Pimm’s and strawberries than they do about the world political landscape.
Sabalenka’s loss to Ons Jabeur – and Daniil Medvedev’s defeat by Alcaraz in the men’s semi – did at least spare the All England Club from the awkward optic of the Princess of Wales handing over the trophy to a Belarusian or Russian player.
Svitolina beat Swiatek in the last eight but her run was ended by Czech Marketa Vondrousova, the world number 42, who went on to become the first unseeded woman to win the title after a straight-sets demolition of Jabeur.
British number one Katie Boulter, unfazed by Just Stop Oil’s bizarre orange confetti/jigsaw puzzle interruption – the second such protest on day three – made the third round but was brutally taken down by Rybakina, 6-1 6-1.
The rain, frustratingly a feature throughout the fortnight, meant only an hour’s play was possible on the outside courts on day two, causing a backlog of matches and a headache for the schedulers.
That did not affect the show courts, but Wimbledon’s stubborn insistence that play should not start before 1.30pm on Centre meant too many late finishes and, on two occasions, matches being unable to finish due to the strict 11pm curfew.
Djokovic disposed of Stan Wawrinka with 14 minutes to spare, but not even he could beat Hubert Hurkacz inside their allotted two hours after two lengthy matches beforehand, and the Serbian had to come back in on his day off to finish the job.
The same happened to Andy Murray, the latest leg of his extended farewell tour ending in the second round when he was outlasted over five sets and two days by Tsitsipas.
Djokovic suggested play should start at 12pm, but that is another contest at Wimbledon that he probably will not win.
Wimbledon is over for another year and as usual it was an eventful fortnight.
There is a new king of Centre Court after Carlos Alcaraz dethroned Novak Djokovic while history was made in the women’s final as unseeded Marketa Vondrousova won.
Here, the PA news agency picks out five things we learned at the championships.
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.
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.
Curfew causes issues
The All England Club’s insistence on beginning Centre Court matches at 1.30pm remains a source of frustration for some.
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.
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 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.
‘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 Sabalenka and 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 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.
Wimbledon is over for another year but it once again lived up to expectations with plenty of memorable moments.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at five of the best singles matches in SW19 this year.
Andy Murray v 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.
Holger Rune v 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.
Elina Svitolina v 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.
Ons Jabeur v 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.
Carlos Alcaraz v 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 threw up a historic surprise in the women’s singles before Novak Djokovic’s long reign in the men’s tournament came to an end.
Czech world number 42 Marketa Vondrousova beat crowd favourite Ons Jabeur to become the first unseeded women’s champion in the competition’s history.
And a day later Carlos Alcaraz became the new King of Centre Court when he dethroned Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller.
Here, the PA news agency looks back at the 2023 Championships.
Unseeded and undefeated
Vondrousova spent last year’s Wimbledon in a cast and her SW19 experience was just to watch best friend Miriam Kolodziejova in qualifying. She ended the 2023 edition as the first unseeded women’s champion in the event’s history.
The Olympic silver medallist beat four seeds to reach the semi-finals, where she ended the emotional run of Ukrainian wild card Elina Svitolina.
She was the underdog once more in the final against last year’s runner-up Ons Jabeur, but overcame early nerves to win in straight sets and lift the Venus Rosewater Dish.
The future is now
Djokovic had not lost at Wimbledon since 2017 and had not been defeated on Centre Court since Andy Murray beat him in the 2013 final. Enter Alcaraz.
The Spanish world number one overcame a wobbly first set to beat the seven-time champion in five epic sets.
The calendar Grand Slam continues to elude Djokovic, but he will still be heavily backed to win another major title in his career and match Margaret Court’s record of 24.
But Alcaraz’s progress on grass means the odds of equalling Roger Federer’s eight titles in SW19 will have lengthened.
Tweet of the tournamentPicture of the tournamentBrit watch
British interest in the adult singles competitions ended in the first week, with Liam Broady and Katie Boulter both losing in the third round.
Andy Murray’s hopes of a long run were ended by fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, while Cameron Norrie – who reached the semi-finals a year ago – also exited at the same stage to exciting American Chris Eubanks.
But it was not all doom and gloom for the host nation.
Wolverhampton’s Henry Searle won the boys’ singles final – the first British boy to do so since Stanley Matthews in 1961 – Liverpudlian Neal Skupski was victorious in the men’s doubles title with his Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof and Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid lifted the men’s wheelchair doubles title.
Russia and Belarus return
After being banned from the 2022 edition due to the war in Ukraine, players from Russia and Belarus returned this summer.
Generally, they were well received by the crowds but organisers would likely have breathed a sigh of relief when Aryna Sabalenka and Daniil Medvedev both fell at the semi-final stage, avoiding the possibility of the Princess of Wales presenting the trophy to a Belarusian or Russian player.
The only controversy came when Victoria Azarenka of Belarus was booed off court following her fourth-round defeat by Ukrainian 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.
Quote of the tournamentShot of the tournamentStat of the tournament
England’s Nathan Kimsey has fallen just short of a maiden PGA Tour title after losing in a playoff to Vincent Norrman at the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky.
Kimsey, the 30-year-old European tour player, made his PGA Tour debut in this co-sanctioned event.
He was faultless on the last day of the tournament up until the playoff hole, hitting six birdies and an eagle to put pressure on Norrman, who bogeyed the last.
He shot 62 and finished on 22 under par to force the playoff with Norrman, from Sweden, at Keene Trace.
Unfortunately for Kimsey, he bogeyed the playoff hole, and Norrman parred to secure his first PGA Tour title.
After the day’s play, Kimsey said he was pleased with his performance overall.
He said: “I feel like I barely missed a shot all day.
“Holed a few nice putts and just kind of did a really good job of executing kind of the whole back nine and keep pushing really.
“Yeah, like I can’t complain with anything I did today.”
Kimsey would have been the first player to win on his PGA Tour debut since 1988.
French golfer Adrien Saddier and American Trevor Cone finished tied in third place on 21 under par.
England’s Daniel Brown finished a further three shots back.
Kyle Bradish threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings and the Baltimore Orioles withstood a furious late rally from the Miami Marlins to hold on for a 5-4 victory on Sunday and extend their winning streak to eight games.
Bradish scattered three hits and a walk while striking out eight before exiting with a 5-0 lead a Baltimore bullpen barely held with All-Stars Felix Bautista and Yennier Cano both unavailable.
The Marlins quickly put two on against Eduard Bazardo in the ninth and cut the deficit to 5-2 on Jean Segura's two-run double with one out. Segura later came home on Jon Berti's two-out single off Danny Coulombe, and Dane Myers followed with a double to suddenly pull Miami within a run.
Coulombe regrouped to strike out MLB batting leader Luis Arraez with the tying run at second, however, and earn his first major league save in 233 career appearances.
Arraez, who entered the day with a .386 average, went 0 for 5.
Adley Rutschman's RBI double and Anthony Santander's two-run homer staked the Orioles to a 3-0 lead after one inning, and Baltimore scored twice more in the fourth for what turned out to be needed insurance.
After sweeping the three-game series, the surging Orioles are now just one game behind first-place Tampa Bay in the American League East after the Rays lost 8-4 to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.
Mets score in 10th to end Dodgers' six-game winning streak
Luis Guillorme drove in the deciding run with a pinch-hit double in the 10th inning as the New York Mets ended the Los Angeles' Dodgers six-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory.
After David Robertson held the Dodgers scoreless in the top of the 10th, Guillorme greeted Nick Robertson with a sharp ground ball down the right-field line that plated automatic runner Brett Baty and halted the Mets' four-game losing streak.
The Dodgers managed just one hit off New York's Max Scherzer through the first seven innings, but put the first two runners on against reliever Trevor Gott in the eighth before Mookie Betts' RBI single tied the game at 1-1.
Scherzer walked three and struck out six in a sharp bounce-back outing for the three-time Cy Young Award winner, who was tagged for nine runs in 11 innings in his previous two starts.
Dodgers starter Bobby Miller allowed one run and three hits in 4 1/3 innings while recording five strikeouts.
Brewers complete sweep of Reds to pad NL Central lead
Andruw Monasterio delivered a tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied for a 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds to complete a sweep of the three-game series between the National League Central's top two teams.
Milwaukee's fourth straight win overall extended its lead over second-place Cincinnati to two games in the division.
The Brewers trailed 3-2 entering the eighth when Willy Adames drew a leadoff walk off reliever Lucas Sims and former Red Jesse Winker followed with a single. Owen Miller then brought Adames home with a sacrifice fly before Monasterio later plated pinch-runner Tyrone Taylor with a single off All-Star closer Alexis Diaz for a 4-3 Milwaukee lead.
Hoby Milner protected the one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth before Devin Williams retired the Reds in order in the ninth to notch his 22nd save of the season and third of the series.
Monasterio finished 2 for 4 and Christian Yelich had three hits, including a solo home run, and two RBIs for Milwaukee.
The slumping Reds have now lost four straight and had been shut out in the first three of those defeats. Joey Votto's RBI double in the second ended Cincinnati's streak of 28 straight innings without a run, and Jake Fraley put the Reds up 3-1 with a two-run homer in the third.
Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen suffered a shock first-round exit at the Betfred World Matchplay in Blackpool, losing 10-7 to Brendan Dolan.
Three-time winner Van Gerwen could not have made a worst start to his title defence as world number 27 Dolan won the first three legs on his way to a 4-1 lead at the break.
Van Gerwen dug deep to level the scores at 5-5, aided by a 137-finish, but Dolan reasserted control to forge 9-6 ahead and although the world number three pulled it back to 9-7, the Northern Irishman was not to be denied.
World number one Michael Smith cruised through to the second round, but was far from his best as he beat Steve Beaton 10-2.
Smith hit the bull for a huge 161-finish on his way to a 4-1 lead and opened up an 8-2 advantage with the help of two more 100-plus checkouts before comfortably seeing the match out.
Luke Humphries produced another impressive display at the Winter Gardens as he stormed into the second round with a 10-2 win over Portugal’s Jose de Sousa.
World number six Humphries, who produced a 114-finish to open up an 8-1 lead, averaged 101.78 over the 12 legs.
Nathan Aspinall progressed into the second round with a 10-7 win over Poland’s former semi-finalist Krzysztof Ratajski, which included a 151-finish which had taken him into a 7-4 lead.
In Sunday’s afternoon session, world number eight Danny Noppert scraped through 10-8 after a late fightback from Germany’s Martin Schindler, and Dirk van Duijvenbode survived two match darts to beat Kim Huybrechts 12-10 after a thrilling tie-break.
Australia’s Damon Heta overcame Josh Rock 10-5 and Chris Dobey clinched his first World Matchplay win with a hard-fought 10-8 success against former champion James Wade.
Johnny Sexton will be free to captain Ireland at the Rugby World Cup in France after being handed a three-match ban for misconduct.
The 38-year-old Leinster fly-half will miss the warm-up fixtures against Italy, England and Samoa after admitting a European Professional Club Rugby misconduct charge levelled in the wake of the province’s Heineken Champions Cup final defeat by La Rochelle on May 20.
Sexton, who was not playing in the game, went on to the pitch at the Aviva Stadium after the match – Leinster lost 27-26 – and became involved in what appeared to be a heated exchange with South African referee Jaco Peyper and other match officials.
A statement issued on behalf of the independent disciplinary commission, which met last week, said: “With the consent of the parties, the independent disciplinary committee (comprising Christopher Quinlan KC, chair, (World Rugby independent judicial panel chair), Adam Casselden SC (former chair SANZAAR judicial committee) and Marcello D’Orey (former international rugby player) announced its decision and full written reasons today in respect of the misconduct case brought against Johnny Sexton and Leinster Rugby.
“Johnny Sexton admitted misconduct. The disciplinary committee found his behaviour confrontational and aggressive towards and disrespectful of the match officials.
“It included his pointing his finger at them and shouting at them something to this effect: ‘It’s a disgrace you guys can’t get the big decisions right,’ probably accompanied by expletives, ‘most likely the f-word’.
“His conduct was obviously unsportsmanlike and brought the sport of rugby union into disrepute.”
Sexton has been suspended with immediate effect and will miss the games against Italy on August 5, England a fortnight later and Samoa on August 26.
However, he will be available for Ireland’s opening World Cup fixture against Romania in Bordeaux on September 9.
Leinster have also been handed a suspended £7,500 fine for failing to exercise reasonable control over their player, and both, as well as EPCR, have until 4pm on Wednesday to appeal against the independent disciplinary committee decision.
The statement continued: “The disciplinary committee upheld the misconduct complaint against Leinster Rugby.
“Having regard to the limited extent to which it was at fault and relevant mitigation, the disciplinary committee concluded that the appropriate penalty was a fine in the sum of £7,500, suspended until the end of the 2023/24 EPCR season.
“If Leinster commits another act of Misconduct before the end of the 2023/24 EPCR season it must pay that sum in full.”
Sexton, who led his country, ranked number one in the world, to a Six Nations grand slam in March, has signalled his intention to retire after this autumn’s tournament.
Marketa Vondrousova cited being dumped by sponsor Nike as a driving factor behind her surprise Wimbledon victory.
The Czech emerged as one of the most unlikely champions at the All England Club and the first unseeded women’s winner with a 6-4 6-4 victory against favourite Ons Jabeur.
Vondrousova’s success was all the more surprising given her lack of pedigree on grass and a long injury absence last year following wrist surgery, and her failure to build on her run to the 2019 French Open final meant her clothing contract with Nike was not renewed.
“The contract ended last year and I didn’t play for six months,” she said.
“I was a bit sad when it finished but I was like, ‘We’re going to try to find something else, just show them I’m going to be good, I’m going to play good and we’ll see what happens now’. But I also feel like maybe that’s a good thing that drove me here.”
Vondrousova’s victory continued the extraordinary success story that is Czech women’s tennis.
She joins Petra Kvitova and Barbora Krejcikova as active grand slam champions while she will make her top-10 debut on Monday as one of seven Czech women in the top 35.
Vondrousova remembers watching her fellow left-hander Kvitova winning back in 2011 as a 12-year-old, saying: “I think I was probably on the couch eating some candy.
“Petra is also from a small club, from a small city, and she is a huge inspiration.
“I watched her win here and she is great person and girls from Czech are very supportive, we have a great relationship. Just to see they could do it, then you believe you can do it also.
“We practise in different clubs, we are not even together, so maybe there is something about Czechs.”
Vondrousova grew up in the small town of Sokolov, with her grandfather driving her to Prague for training every week before she moved to the capital by herself at 15 to develop her tennis.
“It’s a two-hour drive so we went for maybe Wednesday and Thursday and then went back home and I went to school. It’s an amazing journey,” she said.
One of Vondrousova’s first acts after she lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish was to call her mother and her grandparents back home.
She said of her grandfather: “He is my biggest fan. To see them so happy, I’m really grateful for it because there is so much hard work and he was really the most important person in my tennis career when I was young.”
Vondrousova’s best run at Wimbledon prior to this year had been in 2021 when she lost to Emma Raducanu in the second round.
Her game, though, built on touch, slice and angles rather than power, is a good fit for grass, making this victory slightly less unexpected than at first glance.
She credits an early coach and her slightness of stature for the way her game has developed, saying: “I had one coach in my home town who taught me how to slice and everything.
“I just feel like I was always the smallest one and I just didn’t have that much power, so I had to do something else to win. You can use it really well and you have many options, so that’s a great thing to have.”
While her parents were not in London, Vondrousova was able to celebrate with her younger sister and husband, who passed over cat-sitting duties to fly over for the final.
The couple were planning to celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Sunday with a special date at the Champions Dinner.
Carlos Alcaraz celebrated a generational shift in tennis after dethroning Novak Djokovic in one of the great Wimbledon finals.
The young Spaniard looked to be on his way to victory when he recovered from a nervous start to take a two-sets-to-one lead only for Djokovic to show once again his remarkable powers of resilience.
It was he who appeared in the ascendancy at the start of the fifth set but back came 20-year-old Alcaraz to claim a 1-6 7-6 (6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 victory after four hours and 42 minutes, finally landing a meaningful blow for the young guns against the man 16 years his senior.
Alcaraz was not even born when Lleyton Hewitt in 2002 became the last man apart from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray or Djokovic to win the title here, and he is the youngest men’s champion since Boris Becker in 1986.
Alcaraz won his maiden slam title at the US Open last summer but, having beaten Casper Ruud on that occasion with Djokovic barred from entering the country, there is no question this is a far bigger, and potentially seismic, moment in the men’s game.
“I did it for myself, not for the tennis generation,” said Alcaraz. “(But) beating Novak at his best, in this stage, making history, being the guy to beat him after 10 years unbeaten on that court, is amazing for me.
“It’s something that I will never forget. It’s great for the new generation, as well, I think, to see me beating him and making them think that they are capable to do it as well.
“It’s the happiest moment of my life. I think it’s not going to change for a long time. Beating Novak, winning the Wimbledon championship, is something that I dream about since I started playing tennis.”
The defeat prevented Djokovic tying Federer with an eighth Wimbledon title, while it also ended his chances of winning the calendar Grand Slam this year and possibly forever, although he will surely have more opportunities to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 slam crowns.
This was the hottest ticket in town. Along with the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte and King Felipe VI of Spain, Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig were attendance while, among the tennis ranks, sat in the stands with new men’s doubles champion Neal Skupski, was Murray.
The Scot was the last man to beat Djokovic on this court, 10 years and 46 matches ago, in that unforgettable final.
The excitement that fizzed around the arena threatened to evaporate as Djokovic pounced on Alcaraz, winning the first five games then the opening set in only 34 minutes.
Djokovic had two main regrets after the match, the biggest one being that he was not able to extend his record of consecutive slam tie-breaks won to 16.
He led 3-0 and had a set point at 6-5 only to net two routine backhands and then see an Alcaraz return fly past him.
In their first slam meeting in the semi-finals of the French Open last month, Alcaraz had been stricken by cramp after a similar first two sets, but here he looked far the better physically as he swept to the third set, breaking Djokovic for a second time in a 26-minute game comprising 13 deuces and seven break points.
But Djokovic is the master at rousing himself when he appears down and out and so it proved again.
The four-time defending champion had the momentum going into the decider but netted a high volley on break point at 1-0 and then hurled his racket against the net post in anger, smashing the frame, after Alcaraz broke in the next game.
Djokovic did all he could to apply pressure as the young Spaniard, who has extended his lead as world number one, stepped up to serve it out but Alcaraz showed what a truly special talent he is by pulling off a precision lob and a reflex volley before slumping to the grass when his opponent finally netted.
“Probably before this match I thought that I wasn’t ready to beat Djokovic in five sets, an epic match like this,” said Alcaraz. “I stayed good physically and good mentally about five hours against a legend.”
On learning from what happened in Paris, he added: “I am a totally different player than French Open. I grew up a lot since that moment. I learned a lot from that moment.”
Djokovic handled the defeat with impressive grace but broke down in tears when he saw his eight-year-old son Stefan applauding from the stands.
He admitted Alcaraz’s remarkably quick progression on grass had taken him by surprise and thought back to the close finals where he has come out on the other side.
“I’ve won some epic finals that I was very close to losing,” he said. “Maybe this is kind of a fair-and-square deal, I guess, to lose a match like this for me here. Even though it hurts.
“Credit to Carlos. Amazing poise in the important moments. For someone of his age to handle the nerves like this, be playing attacking tennis, and to close out the match the way he did. I thought I returned very well that last game, but he was just coming up with some amazing, amazing shots.
“Some regrets. I had my chances. I think I could have closed out that second-set tie-breaker better. But credit to him for fighting and showing some incredible defensive skills, passing shots that got him the break in the fifth. He was a deserved winner today.”
Alcaraz has a long way to go if he is to have anything like the careers that Djokovic and his long-time rivals Federer and Nadal have put together.
But the Serbian could not be more impressed with the 20-year-old as an all-round package, saying: “I think people have been talking in the past 12 months or so about his game consisting of certain elements from Roger, Rafa and myself.
“I would agree with that. I think he’s got basically the best of all three worlds. He’s got this Spanish bull mentality of competitiveness and fighting spirit and incredible defence.
“I haven’t played a player like him ever, to be honest. Roger and Rafa have their own strengths and weaknesses. Carlos is a very complete player. Amazing adapting capabilities that I think are a key for longevity and for a successful career on all surfaces.”
Alcaraz, still wearing his lucky bucket hat, burst into a wide grin when told what Djokovic had said.
“It’s crazy that Novak said that, honestly,” he said. “I don’t know. Probably he’s right. But I don’t want to think about it. I’m going to think that I’m full Carlos Alcaraz.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
