Alcaraz tops Djokovic in second consecutive Wimbledon final for fourth Grand Slam title
London, Jul 14: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) in the Wimbledon men's final here on Sunday to collect his fourth Grand Slam title at the age of 21.
It was a rematch of last year's championship match on the grass of the All England Club, which Alcaraz won in five sets.
This one — played in front of a Centre Court crowd that included Kate, the Princess of Wales, in a rare public appearance since announcing she has cancer — was much easier for Alcaraz, at least until he stumbled while holding three match points as he served for the victory at 5-4 in the third set.
Still, Alcaraz regrouped and eventually picked up a second major trophy in a row after last month's triumph on the clay at the French Open.
The Spaniard won his first Slam title at the 2022 U.S. Open as a teenager, and no man ever has collected more Slam hardware before turning 22 than he has.
He improved to 4-0 in major finals.
The 37-year-old Djokovic, wearing a gray sleeve on his surgically repaired right knee, was denied in his bid for an eighth Wimbledon title and record 25th major overall. He tore his meniscus at Roland Garros on June 3 and had an operation in Paris two days later.
Less than six weeks later, Djokovic was hardly at his best on Sunday — and Alcaraz certainly had something to do with that.
“Especially in the first couple of sets, the level of tennis wasn't really up to par on my side,” said Djokovic, whose two children were in his guest box. “He had it all today. I tried to push him. ... It wasn't meant to be.”
Alcaraz was up 5-4, 40-love in the third set when the occasion got the better of him. He frittered away his first championship point with a double-fault, beginning a run of five mistakes by him that donated points — and that game — to Djokovic. There was a backhand that went awry. A forehand volley. A forehand. Another forehand. That was the only time all match that Djokovic broke Alcaraz.
Suddenly, it was 5-all. Suddenly, Alcaraz appeared rattled. Suddenly, Djokovic could hope.
But in the ensuing tiebreaker, Alcaraz earned his fourth match point and stayed cool as can be this time. Soon he was climbing through the stands to hug his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and others.
Just under 2 1/2 hours earlier, at the outset, the opening game appeared to portend an engrossing, back-and forth contest — and a long one, perhaps worrying some folks about getting to a pub or a couch in time to see England face Spain in the men's soccer European Championship final in Germany on Sunday night. Alcaraz, of course, had a rooting interest.
All told, that game consisted of seven deuces and 20 points across a hair shy of 14 minutes, containing brilliant moments by both men. Sprinting, sliding, stretching defense by Djokovic. Return winners by Alcaraz. When he slapped a strong reply to a 125 mph (202 kph) serve and drew a wide forehand from Djokovic, Alcaraz cashed in his fifth break chance.
That, it turned out, was the most competitive portion of the proceedings until the third set.
Not to say there weren't hints of brilliance the rest of the way. Just the outcome never really seemed in dispute.
Djokovic double-faulted to hand over a two-break, 5-1 lead in the first set. He put a volley into the net to fall behind by a break to begin the second, then double-faulted to end that one.
This was not the body-contorting, get-to-everything Djokovic everyone is accustomed to seeing, mind you. There's his age, first of all, and the matter of his knee, which raised serious questions about whether it would be possible to even participate at Wimbledon.
By his account, Djokovic felt free of pain and able to move with his usual verve by only his third or fourth match of the fortnight. On this partly cloudy afternoon, with the temperature at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius), Djokovic occasionally hopped awkwardly when he landed after serving or stepped gingerly — as if barefoot on a beach's hot sand — between points or watched some of Alcaraz's big groundstrokes fly past without giving chase.
Djokovic missed volleys he usually makes and won just 27 of 53 points when he went forward.
After netting a volley to close one early 11-stroke exchange, Djokovic sighed and walked to his sideline seat to grab a purple-and-green towel for dabbing at sweat. His facial expression was giving: “Come on, Carlitos, pick on someone your own age.”
Alcaraz was outstanding in pretty much every way, from the basic to the sorts of shots no one else would even try, much less pull off. Once, he leaped and wrapped his racket all the way around his back to get the ball over the net, although Djokovic did put an overhead away to get that point. Alcaraz ran wide of the doubles alley for forehand winners. Claimed points via drop shots. Smacked serves at up to 136 mph (219 kph). Accumulated 14 break points, converting five, while facing just three, despite going up against Djokovic, considered many the greatest returner there's been.
Two days before the final, Djokovic paid Alcaraz quite a compliment, saying: “I see a lot of similarities between me and him, in terms of ability to adapt and adjust to the surface. That's probably his biggest trait. ... He's got skills to play equally well on any surface and to adapt to a given opponent that particular day. So he's a very all-around player, very complete player.”
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
