Wimbledon great Djokovic dethroned by young Alcaraz

CARLOS Alcaraz was crowned the new king of Wimbledon after dethroning Novak Djokovic on a rapt Centre Court in one of the great grand slam finals. 

- ELEANOR CROOKS

The young Spaniard looked to be on his way to victory when he recovered from a nervous start to take a two-sets-to-one lead only for Djokovic to show once again his remarkable powers of resilience. 

It was he who appeared in the ascendancy at the start of the fifth set but back came 20-year-old Alcaraz to claim a 1-6 7-6 (6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 victory after four hours and 42 minutes, finally landing a meaningful blow for the young guns against the man 16 years his senior.

Alcaraz slumped to the court after Djokovic’s final forehand dropped into the net before sharing a long embrace with the vanquished Serbian.

The defeat prevented Djokovic tying Roger Federer with an eighth Wimbledon title, while it also ended his chances of winning the calendar Grand Slam this year, although he will surely have more opportunities to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 slam crowns.

Alcaraz was not even born when Lleyton Hewitt in 2002 became the last man apart from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray or Djokovic to win the title here, and he is the youngest men’s champion since Boris Becker in 1986.