What is a year, if not a mere parenthesis? However, things have changed a lot from one end to the other, and behind us is that Carlos Alcaraz who entered the Centre Court at Wimbledon to wait for Novak Djokovic, scrupulously respectful of a hierarchy that today, in terms of play, mood and present, has definitely changed. It is time to go on the attack. Or so says the coach of the Murcian, Juan Carlos Ferrero. Respect? Everything. Determination? Also. From start to finish. Once again, one and the other for the title; this afternoon (3:00 p.m., Movistar+) and on the same stage. The Cathedral itself. “But we are going to try to start better than last year, playing him as equals, accepting the battle that he is going to propose all the time. So the sooner we adapt to that, the better,” says the coach, cautious but at the same time convinced: right now, the one who sets the pace is his player.
The events of the last few months and these days have shown this. “He is capable of doing everything, the strongest opponent I have ever faced,” said Russian Daniil Medvedev after losing in the semi-finals; he too was a direct witness to the damage caused by Alcaraz’s overwhelming approach, who today starts from a very different position to that of a year ago – already crowned in Paris and London – and increasingly consolidated. Those who really know about this (the professionals) say behind the scenes that the Spaniard’s peak game is today unattainable for the rest, and that in terms of tennis and dynamics there is no great doubt about who to bet on. Opposite him, however, is a certain Djokovic and that changes everything. The Serbian and his seven lives, the thousands of solutions. He has even managed to escape from the operating room.
“I am very happy to be in another final and I don’t want to stop here. I hope to lift the trophy on Sunday,” he admitted two days ago, after beating Lorenzo Musetti. Before, the Balkan (37 years old) warned in the run-up to the tournament that he had come to London in search of more metal, and not to stroll or show anything, that his numbers are there for that. And he has fulfilled. Therefore, there are many who suspect that he may have kept an ace up his sleeve and that beyond the limitations that he may be subject to due to his right knee – operated on in Paris on June 5 – they believe that he may have a surprise in store for him. From less to more, he sees a very juicy morsel ahead and sharpens his claws: leaving behind Margaret Court’s 24 majors and equalling the record of his lordship Roger Federer (eight titles) in London.
“Carlos is surely the best 21-year-old player we have ever seen in this sport and we will see much more of him in the future, without a doubt. He will win many Grand Slams, but I hope it will not be this Sunday, but when I retire, in 15 years…”, he joked during the intervention, aware that right now Alcaraz’s violent ball is superior to all the others and that what suits him best is for the duel to turn into the psychological, emotional terrain. Medvedev did not succeed – “I have tried not to enter his game, to shorten the points,” argued the Murcian – and now he is the candidate, the great master of the tangle. Old fox, Djokovic knows that a good part of his options depend on the story being stretched and flooded with curves. His gain is in the mess. If everything goes in a straight line, it seems tremendously complicated for him.
Mental intensity
“Everyone knows Novak. He has played many Grand Slam finals and won 24. Last year was a very difficult match, he got me into serious trouble. So I know what I have to do, although I am sure he does too,” said the player from El Palmar, who is aiming for his fourth Grand Slam final. major —which would equal the number of Ken Rosewall, Guillermo Vilas and Jim Courier—, the second this year —after Roland Garros— and to reach the London record of Rafael Nadal —two laurels, 2008 and 2010—, with a whole career still ahead of him. Ferrero, however, says that all this inevitably goes through his head, due to the appropriate management of those emotions inherent to every great final, knowing that one is back and his own is still learning.

“Obviously, precedents are useful, but in the end it is a new year in which there are new sensations,” says the coach. “Carlos is realizing more and more that mental strength is something that is often getting him out of those problems he has; he is quite an emotional player on the court, who tends to show his emotions a lot during the match, but he is handling it better and better,” the Valencian continues, also remembering that every time Alcaraz has been behind over the last two weeks —against Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Medvedev— he has been able to turn the situation around, as well as that his player’s mind tends to prevail in long-term debates. Despite his youth, the Murcian is beginning to take control of the most transcendent territory in tennis.
The statistics say that he has won 12 of the 13 five-set matches he has played so far, and that his forehand has produced a hundred more winners than Djokovic’s (277-174). The Serbian will therefore try to prevent his rival from getting too close to the court and to use his backhand. The statistics also reflect the Spaniard’s aggressiveness, surpassed only by Ben Shelton in his attacks on the net – 265 for the American, 216 for the finalist – and the excellence of the Belgrade player in finishing the point in the net; with 78% effectiveness in the 184 approaches, he is the best in the tournament. In any case, for Ferrero the key point is leading to a specific place: “I’ve been telling Carlos that it’s going to be five hours again… So the mental level will have to be very high.” And, notebook in hand, the boy takes notes.
THE FIVE PRECEDENTS: 3-2 FOR NOLE
2022, Madrid semi-final: 6-7(5), 7-5 and 7-6(5). Alcaraz.
2023, Roland Garros semi-final: 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 and 6-1. Djokovic.
2023, Wimbledon final: 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6 and 6-4. Alcaraz.
2023, Cincinnati final: 5-7, 7-6(7) and 7-6(4). Djokovic.
2023, Masters semi-final: 6-3 and 6-2. Djokovic.
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