So the all-time classic will have an instant rematch. Novak Djokovic will face Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final tomorrow in a repeat of last year's epic five-setter, as the 37year-old bids to become the oldest champion in the Open era at the All England Club.
It's the final everyone wanted to see and yet, after beating the inspired Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets, the boos that rained down from the Centre Court crowd were rather illustrative of how difficult a journey this has been for the seven-time champion. Djokovic celebrated by pretending to play the violin on his racket, in a tribute to his six-year-old daughter. But clearly, a few days after accusing some Wimbledon fans of "showing disrespect", some in the crowd thought the gesture was directed at them.
Still, a few boos are the least of Djokovic's problems as he prepares to face Alcaraz tomorrow, or one of the "greatest 21year-olds our sport has seen", as he said on court. "He already beat me here in a Wimbledon final in a five-set thriller so I don't expect anything less than a huge battle," Djokovic said. "He is as complete a player as they come, so it's going to take the best of my ability to beat him."
Make no mistake, though, simply returning to the Wimbledon final - his 10th - is a stunning achievement in itself. Less than four weeks after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee, Djokovic is through to his first final of the season and he will have another chance to equal Roger Federer's record of eight men's titles. His season has not gone to plan but if there was one match he could have chosen to win in January, it would likely have been the one that will come in two days' time.
This story is from the July 13, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the July 13, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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