Wimbledon 2023: Carlos Alcaraz wins the title at the All England Club by beating Novak Djokovic
Kin Cheung - staff, AP
Novak Djokovic of Serbia, left, takes part in a practice session ahead of the Wimbledon tennis championships at Wimbledon, in London, Sunday, July 2, 2023. The Wimbledon Tennis championships start on July 3.
Gorundstaff prepare the covers at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Britain, ahead of the championships starting tomorrow, on Sunday, July 2, 2023.
Associated Press
Venus Williams practices at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Britain, ahead of the championships starting today.
Britain's Andy Murray celebrates after beating Britain's Ryan Peniston during a first round men's singles match on day two of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece returns to Austria's Dominic Thiem in a first round men's singles match on day three of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
A Just Stop Oil protester on court 18 throwing confetti on to the grass during Britain's Katie Boulter's first-round singles match against Australia's Daria Saville on day three of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
Britain's Katie Boulter's helps ground staff clear-up after a Just Stop Oil protester on court 18 threw confetti on to the grass during her first-round singles match against Australia's Daria Saville on day three of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka returns to Argentina's Tomas Martín Etcheverry in a men's singles match on day four of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 6, 2023.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates defeating Australia's Jordan Thompson in the men's singles match on day three of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
Sofia Kenin of the US returns to China's Wang Xinyu in a women's singles match on day four of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 6, 2023.
Croatia's Donna Vekic celebrates defeating Sloane Stephens of the US during the women's singles match on day four of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 6, 2023.
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece reacts after beating Britain's Andy Murray in a men's singles match on day five of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Friday, July 7, 2023.
Christopher Eubanks of the US celebrates defeating Britain's Cameron Norrie in the men's singles match on day five of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Friday, July 7, 2023.
Jessica Pegula of the US reacts after beating Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto in a women's singles match on day five of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Friday, July 7, 2023.
Poland's Iga Swiatek returns to Croatia's Petra Martic in a women's singles match on day five of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Friday, July 7, 2023.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after beating Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka in a men's singles match on day five of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Friday, July 7, 2023.
Poland's Iga Swiatek returns to Croatia's Petra Martic in a women's singles match on day five of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Friday, July 7, 2023.
Jessica Pegula of the US celebrates defeating Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko in the women's singles match on day seven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 9, 2023.
Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after beating Switzerland's Belinda Bencic in a women???s singles match on day seven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 9, 2023.
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina celebrates winning the second set during the women's singles match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on day seven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 9, 2023.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in a men's singles match on day eight of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 10, 2023.
Russia's Roman Safiullin serves to Canada's Denis Shapovalov during the men's singles match against on day seven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 9, 2023.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after beating Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova in their women's singles match on day eight of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 10, 2023.
Tunisia's Ons Jabeur celebrates after beating Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina to win their women's singles match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina celebrates after beating Poland's Iga Swiatek to win their women's singles match on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova celebrates a point against Jessica Pegula of the US during their women's singles match on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after beating Denmark's Holger Rune to win their men's singles match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
Russia's Daniil Medvedev celebrates after beating Christopher Eubanks of the US in their men's singles match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns to Russia's Andrey Rublev in a men's singles match on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning his match against Russia's Roman Safiullin during their men's singles match on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning a point against Russia's Andrey Rublev in a men's singles match on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
Italy's Jannik Sinner speaks after winning his men's singles match against Russia's Roman Safiullin on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
Russia's Daniil Medvedev celebrates after beating Christopher Eubanks of the US in their men's singles match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
Tunisia's Ons Jabeur celebrates beating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to win their women's singles semifinal match on day eleven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 13, 2023.
Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova reacts after beating Ukraine's Elina Svitolina to win their women's singles semifinal match on day eleven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 13, 2023.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts after beating Italy's Jannik Sinner to win their men's singles semifinal match on day twelve of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Friday, July 14, 2023.
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns to Russia's Daniil Medvedev in a men's singles semifinal match on day twelve of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Friday, July 14, 2023.
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates with the trophy after beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic to win the final of the men's singles on day fourteen of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 16, 2023.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic receives the runners-up trophy from Kate, Princess of Wales after losing to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the men's singles on day fourteen of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 16, 2023.
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz will head to New York in August to defend his U.S. Open title as a two-time Grand Slam champion.
That’s because he managed to shake off a poor start and beat Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 on Sunday.
That gave Alcaraz his first trophy at the All England Club and prevented Djokovic from winning his fifth in a row and eighth overall there.
It also kept Djokovic from increasing his men’s-record total of 23 major titles.
Alcaraz is a 20-year-old from Spain who is the third-youngest men’s champion at Wimbledon in the Open era, which began in 1968. Only Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg were younger than he is.
WHEN DOES THE U.S. OPEN START?
The next Grand Slam tournament is the U.S. Open, which begins on the hard courts of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug. 28. The women’s final — Iga Swiatek won the tournament in 2022 — is Sept. 9; the men’s final is Sept. 10.
BETTING GUIDE
As of Sunday evening, Djokovic was listed as a plus-115 money-line pick to win the U.S. Open, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, slightly ahead — perhaps surprisingly — of Alcaraz, at plus-140. Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Djokovic to win the 2021 title in New York, was next at plus-380. American Frances Tiafoe, a semifinalist a year ago, was listed as a joint-12th pick at plus-3,600. For the women, Swiatek was the top pick at plus-240, followed by Aryna Sabalenka at plus-500. New Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was listed joint-eighth at plus-2,200.
GET CAUGHT UP AT THE ALL ENGLAND CLUB
What you need to know about Wimbledon, the year’s third Grand Slam tennis tournament:
— Only 5% of the women who played singles at Wimbledon are coached by women
— The women’s tennis tour is trying to help more female coaches make it to the pros
— Tennis appears headed for Saudi Arabia. Is it about sportswashing, women’s rights or both?
— The All England Club is trying to balance tradition and evolution
— Novak Djokovic is pursuing more history, and his self-belief is a big part of his success
— Women’s tennis is working toward equal pay at more tournaments
— Facts and figures about Wimbledon, including a look back at 2022
TAKE A TENNIS QUIZ
Try your hand at the AP’s Wimbledon quiz.
THE NUMBER TO KNOW
21 — Number of years since someone other than Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray won the men’s title at Wimbledon. Lleyton Hewitt won the tournament in 2002. Until Carlos Alcaraz won Sunday, 19 trophies in a row at the All England Club — the 2020 edition was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic — went to Federer (eight), Djokovic (seven), Nadal (two) or Murray (two).
THE QUOTE TO KNOW
“Right now is the happiest moment of my life, that’s for sure. Probably in five years, (that) will change. Right now, I’m 20. I didn’t live too many situations like this. So I’m going to enjoy this moment.” — Carlos Alcaraz.
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