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They say pride comes before a fall and Novak Djokovic came crashing down to earth after unveiling the most arrogant version of himself we’ve seen at Wimbledon this year.
Having secured his legacy as tennis’ greatest ever player by winning a record 23rd grand slam at Roland Garros last month, the Serb arrived at the All England Club a changed man.
After years and years of giving the polite answer in press conferences and on-court interviews, Djokovic was cheeky, brash and starkly honest about how he viewed himself and his place in the game.
The soundbites came thick and fast as the world number two spoke his mind.
“I don’t want to sound arrogant, but of course I consider myself the favourite,” he said early in the tournament.
“I love it,” he replied, when asked about the pressure of having a target on his back. “They want to get a scalp, they want to win, but it ain’t happening.”
Djokovic had good reason to be confident after winning the first two slams of 2023 and entering Wimbledon as a four-time defending champion.
He’d also spent years proving the next generation – and the one after that – weren’t on his level despite passing his 36th birthday.
And as he again comfortably saw off the likes of Andrey Rublev and Jannik Sinner, everything was falling into place for another victory lap.
But Djokovic overlooked one man.
Carlos Alcaraz is as much like Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and other NextGen almost-champs as Djokovic was like Tomas Berdych and David Ferrer.
Djokovic DENTS net post during tantrum | 01:15
He might have won the US Open when Djokovic was banned from entering America and kept the number one ranking because Djokovic didn’t get points for winning Wimbledon last year, but there is nothing fraudulent about Alcaraz’s talent.
And Djokovic paid the price for viewing the Spaniard as too inexperienced on grass to challenge him this early in his career.
Like Rafael Nadal did while losing Wimbledon finals to Roger Federer in 2006 and 2007 before breaking through in 2008, most expected Alcaraz would learn some hard lessons before lifting the trophy.
Djokovic admitted he was one of them in his runner-up speech, telling Alcaraz: “I thought I’d only have trouble with you on clay and hard court, not grass.”
But there’s a reason Alcaraz’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion, has hopes his charge will one day win “30 grand slams”.
He not only has every shot in the book and uncommon power on the forehand side, but also the temperament and composure to deliver in the biggest moments.
Djokovic learned that on Sunday as he tried all his old tricks to disrupt his opponent.
The lengthy ball bouncing before his serve that eventually drew a time violation. The argument with the chair umpire. The racket smashing. And of course heavy ground stroke after heavy ground stroke.
Djokovic raised his game to a level that has been good enough to beat basically everyone in the past few years early in the fifth set but Alcaraz survived and then flourished to leave his opponent stunned.
After breaking the Serb in the third game he had to hold serve four more times to win the championship and there was barely a glimpse of nerves.
“What quality at the end of the match when you had to serve it out,” Djokovic said to the young victor.
“You came up with some big plays in the big situation and you absolutely deserve it. Amazing.”
Alcaraz has the scalp, he has the win. It happened.
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