Alcaraz Defends Title in Dominant Fashion
Carlos Alcaraz put together a tennis masterpiece against Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon finals, leaving no doubt that the new guard is in charge.
If there was any lingering doubt that the sport belongs to Alcaraz and Sinner now, it was laid to rest in a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) straight-set drubbing in the championship match.
The first game set the tone for the entire match. It was a 14-minute power struggle where Alcaraz earned five break points through seven deuces before finally claiming the opening service break.
Novak never recovered. The first set was a blur of Alcaraz passing shots, drop shots, whipped forehands, 130+ mph serves, and an all-court coverage that blitzed Novak’s comprehension.
The second set was more of the same. Novak was lucky to reach a tiebreaker in the third after Alcaraz blinked trying to serve out the match at 5-4 with a 40-0 lead. He double-faulted at 40-0 and lost five straight points, giving Novak life.
But his reaction is what makes him so remarkable for a player his age. He forgot all about it. Held serve to force the tiebreak, then blitzed Novak in the breaker. He was totally unfazed by dropping that service game.
Djokovic didn’t control a single minute of the contest. Every point was played on Alcaraz’s terms. It was make or miss tennis for Alcaraz. Djokovic only won points if Alcaraz missed, which wasn’t often. Novak was a glorified hitting partner.
When the showers were over and Djokovic met the press, he summed it up by saying he was “inferior on the court. That’s it. He was a better player. He played every single shot better than I did.”
Krejcikova Claims Second Career Grand Slam
Tennis fortunes can turn on a dime. We see it all the time.
This year, we saw it happen for Barbora Krejcikova.
Coming into the tournament, the Czech had won a total of seven matches all year. She had a losing record in fact, at 7-9.
Then, out of nowhere, on grass at the sport’s most heralded event, she reeled off seven straight wins and etched her name in history.
Form? What form?
That’s how it goes sometimes in tennis. It’s a game of inches and momentum. Get through a few dicey moments and positive results can snowball. For Krejcikova, surviving a three-hour first round battle against Kudermetova 7-6(4), 6-7(1), 7-5 set things in motion. Two more tiebreaks over Volynets in the second round probably left her quite happy about a third round result.
An easier 6-0 4-3 walkover over Bouzas followed.
And then…snowball.
Red-hot Danielle Collins? Bested.
Always troublesome Jelena Ostapenko? Swept aside.
Towering tournament favorite and past champion Elena Rybakina? Handled in three.
Then it was recent French Open runner-up and newly minted top 5 player Jasmine Paolini.
Krejcikova controlled the first, wobbled in the second, and steadied in the third to win the title 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
The win validates her 2021 French Open championship. It’s tough to get two majors, especially on both clay and grass.
She’s done that, possibly punching a ticket to the Hall of Fame in the process.
The win brought forth a beautiful tribute to her idol and countrywoman Jana Novotna, the 1998 Wimbledon champion, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 2017.
When Krejcikova saw her name on the champions honour board after the match, as is tradition, she was also show Novotna’s name, and she started crying.
“It’s just the combination of, that I know that she was lifting this one up in ’98, and now me,” she explained. “I never dreamed of it. I never thought that I could do this.”
Reflex Volleys
The Roofs Reigned
Whether you like the roofs or not, they more than delivered this year. It rained virtually every day of the tournament, but TV viewers always had live tennis to watch. In years past, rain delays resulted in replays of classic old matches while the tournament was at a stand-still. No more.
Praise for Paolini
For all the talk of Alcaraz’s Tunnel Double (winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back), Jasmine Paolini was right there, too, as runner-up in both events. That’s a remarkable achievement in itself, even if she didn’t lift either trophy.
Her Roland Garros run was a breakthrough. Her Wimbledon run was confirmation that she’s a legitimate top 5 player, one to be feared on any surface. It will be fun to see how she does on the summer hard courts with all the added attention.
Murray’s Farewell
One final salute to Sir Andy Murray who played his final Wimbledon this year. The two-time champion and local hero will forever be remembered for his historic victories at the All England Club, lifting British tennis fans out of their decades-long doldrums. Thanks for the memories.
