Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz chase history in Sunday’s final
A record 25th title for Novak Djokovic or an unbeaten record in Grand Slam finals for Carlos Alcaraz as the pair clash once more in the Wimbledon final; You can follow updates from Wimbledon by heading to our live blog or live scores page
Novak Djokovic is chasing history, and Carlos Alcaraz continues to lay down a marker for the changing of the guard as the pair meet again in a Wimbledon men’s singles final on Sunday.
Djokovic is bidding to win a 25th Grand Slam title and claim the all-time record for the most Grand Slam titles, ahead of Margaret Court.
A victory for the Serb would also draw him level with Roger Federer’s all-time record of eight Wimbledon’s men’s singles titles.
He would become the first player in history to win eight or more singles titles at two different Grand Slam events – he has 10 Australian Open men’s singles titles to date.
Twitter This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
- Wimbledon: Men’s singles draw I Women’s singles draw I Order of PlayWhat tennis is live on Sky Sports?Wimbledon LIVE! Keep up to date with the latest action from The All England ClubWimbledon and Euros double? Carlos Alcaraz: It would be perfect!
Twitter This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
Across the net will be the player leading the charge for a new era in men’s tennis, as Alcaraz will target a fourth Grand Slam title from four finals.
He is bidding to become the eighth player in history to win his first four Grand Slam men’s singles finals – and the second in the Open Era after Federer, who won his first seven contested finals in Slams.
Djokovic’s Path to the Final
| R1: Vit Kopriva [Q] 6-1 6-2 6-2 |
| R2: Jacob Fearnley [WC] 6-3 6-4 5-7 7-5 |
| R3: Alexei Popyrin 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-3) |
| R4: Holger Rune [15] 6-3 6-4 6-2 |
| QF: Alex De Minaur [9] Walkover |
| SF: Lorenzo Musetti [25] 7-4 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 |
Djokovic’s journey to win the elusive 25th Grand Slam title has not been an easy one this year – his wait for a title in 2024 continues, hampered most recently by a torn medial meniscus in the French Open quarter-final.
He was tested in the second and third rounds, eventually prevailing over British wildcard Jacob Fearnley and Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in four sets, before normal service resumed against Denmark’s Holger Rune.
That match saw him tackle the Wimbledon crowd, accusing some of using their ‘Ruuune’ chant as an excuse to boo him.
After so much drama, an extra day of rest might have been quite welcome as Alex De Minaurwas forced to withdraw from their quarter-final, and a relatively straightforward win over Lorenzo Musetti followed in the semis.
“He already beat me here in a thrilling five-setter. I don’t expect anything less than that,” Djokovic said after the semi-final.
“A huge battle on the court. He is as complete a player as they come, so it is going to take the best of my abilities on the court overall to beat him on Sunday.”
Alcaraz might well have some way to go to reach the dizzy Grand Slam heights of his compatriot Rafael Nadal or Djokovic, but he has started well.
As yet unbeaten at the sharp end of a Grand Slam, it feels as though he has made his life unnecessarily challenging during his path to the final.
He was taken the distance by Frances Tiafoe and has had lapses in concentration to advance through the latter stages in four sets.
Grass is a surface that demands the conservation of energy for the potential lung-sapping rallies, especially when looking at Djokovic, prowling the baseline.
Alcaraz’s Path to the Final
| R1: Mark Lajal [Q] 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 6-2 |
| R2: Aleksander Vukic 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 6-2 |
| R3: Frances Tiafoe [29] 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 |
| R4:Ugo Humbert [16] 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-5 |
| QF: Tommy Paul [12] 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-2 |
| SF: Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 6-4 6-4 |
He will need to find another level if he wants to become the ninth man in the Open Era to retain the Wimbledon title, and the sixth man in the Open Era to win both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year.
“Obviously everybody knows Djokovic. He has played multiple Grand Slam finals, has won a lot of them. Last year it was a really difficult match. He put me in real trouble, I’m going to say,” Alcaraz said on Friday.
“I know how it’s going to feel playing against Djokovic. I know what I have to do. I’m sure he knows what he has to do to beat me. It’s going to be a really interesting one.”
Twitter This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
- Get Sky Sports Tennis | Get Sky Sports on WhatsAppDownload the Sky Sports App I Follow @SkySportsTennisStream ATP & WTA Tour tennis and more with NOW
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
In the run-up to the final Grand Slam of 2024 – the US Open – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the hard-court season.
- Hamburg Open (ATP 500) 15-21 JulyNewport Hall of Fame Open (ATP 250) 15-21 JulySwiss Open (ATP 250) 15-21 JulyBastad Open (ATP 250) 15-21 JulyPalermo Ladies Open (WTA 250) 15-21 JulyHungarian Grand Prix (WTA 250) 15-21 JulyPrague Open (WTA 250) 21-26 JulyIasi Open (WTA 250) 21-26 JulyUmag Open (ATP 250) 21-26 July
Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
