Time catches up with everyone, and 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz made Novak Djokovic feel every one of his 37 years in Sunday’s Wimbledon final. Alcaraz was the defending champion, but while the 2023 title clash was a five-set marathon, it was all one-way traffic a year later. On Sunday, Djokovic was expected to play his part in a befitting contest, but the way he was dismantled by the youngster from Murcia showed that his era of dominance may now be in the past.
It’s risky to make such predictions on legends of the game based on one reversal, but it’s safe to say that the Serb, the last one of the fabled “Big 3”, is no longer playing his best game. Jannik Sinner beat Djokovic at the Australian Open in January, and Djokovic hasn’t won a title yet in 2024. Roger Federer is long retired, Rafael Nadal will be soon, and now Alcaraz has shown Djokovic the writing on the wall. The winner of 24 Grand Slam titles seemed slower to get to balls, missed routine volleys and erred on his bread and butter — the rock-solid baseline game where he just refuses to make errors, returning everything his opponents throw at him with interest. The relentless pressure from the other end and Alcaraz’s other-worldly level of game seemed to get to the Serb, who couldn’t respond adequately.
The way Djokovic addressed his family after the loss shows that life after tennis may have finally become a consideration for him. He talked about coaching his son Stefan, after referring to daughter Tara’s prowess in playing the violin during an earlier match. Sporting greats don’t readily concede that they are past their prime, but a humbling on the biggest stage may force them to take a hard look at themselves. Federer won the 20th and last of his Grand Slam titles at the age of 36, as did Nadal. Djokovic is already past that age. The remainder of the year should provide a pointer to his sporting future.
