Last year’s Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic seemed inevitable.
This year it’s a different story.
Both players were among the favourites to win Wimbledon, but the field was the strongest in years and Alcaraz’s inclusion in the team with Jannik Sinner seriously damaged his chances of defending the title.
Djokovic was already off to a shaky start to the year before his injury at the French Open.
He had knee surgery in early June and even though he was cleared to play at Wimbledon, few expected him to make a deep run, but that’s what happened.
Alcaraz, who opened as the -155 favorite to win, certainly had to overcome a tougher path to Sunday morning’s final, but he was also a less convincing player throughout the tournament.
The Spaniard had to come back from a 2-1 deficit to beat an out-of-form Francis Tiafoe in five sets and then had to win his quarter-final match after playing Tommy Paul early on.
That might sound like a detail-oriented approach, but against Djokovic, the details matter.
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Alcaraz’s well-rounded game will be tough to counter, and while Djokovic (+130) may not be at 100%, the Serb has found his old self over the past two weeks and should benefit from an easier road to the final, including a bye in the quarterfinals.
This work has all the elements to become a classic.
play: Djokovic vs. Alcaraz: Over 4.5 sets (+185, FanDuel)
