Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz has orchestrated a superhuman effort to reach his second successive Wimbledon final. Barely a month ago, Alcaraz clinched the French Open in a gruelling five-setter against Alexander Zverev.
To recover from seven long matches on the slow clay of Paris and then get ready for the fast low-bouncing grass at Wimbledon is a herculean task, and he has managed that admirably well. That’s Alcaraz for you: full of youthful energy and enjoying the battles on the tennis court with a smile on his face. Always.
Such is the nature of the sport and its unpredictability that three and a half weeks ago, Djokovic was undergoing knee surgery for a meniscus tear and wasn’t even sure until the day of the draw about playing Wimbledon this year.
So we have a tale of two gladiators who have taken contrasting routes to the finals of the most prestigious of the grand slams. What a setting it’s going to be!
An aggressive, bold, and sometimes audacious stroke maker who will not hold back anything against the wily, shrewd, experienced 36-year-old whose mental toughness is the secret of his longevity in this sport.
On one hand, we have Alcaraz, who will keep an incredibly high speed of play irrespective of the scoreline or the length of the contest. On the other hand, we have Djokovic, who will use every ounce of energy in defending against the rampaging Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz to be crowd favourite to win Wimbledon title
There will be no doubt about the fact that Carlos Alcaraz will be the crowd favourite simply because, for some reason, the British crowd really are anti-Djokovic, and I think to a large extent it’s his doing.
So the stage is set for an exciting men’s singles final, and if it matches the level of tennis that the two of them produced in the summit clash last year, then we are in for a royal treat that will be the icing on yet another Wimbledon cake.
A tournament that has already thrown up some incredible matches in both the men's and the ladies' draws, as well as future stars who will hopefully replace the generation of the big three.
My pick for the finals: Carlos, but just about. You can never write off someone who is playing his 10th Wimbledon final. He may not have the legs to play a fifth set, but his heart is big, and his match temperament is solid. So whoever wins the final, it’s the spectators at SW19 as well as the millions watching on their TV screens who are going to be the winners tomorrow.
