Why Carlos Alcaraz’s Wimbledon win against Novak Djokovic was his most significant yet

We have a new era in tennis.

The immortal commentator line muttered by Barry Tompkins when Mike Tyson beat Trevor Berbick to become boxing’s world heavyweight champion for the first time in 1986 seems applicable to this day in tennis as it felt hugely significant.

Carlos Alcaraz’s win against Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final was his second title at the All England Club, but the manner of this crushing win sparked a belief that we had seen the handover of power at the top of the men’s game.

As Alcaraz bullied, bossed and battered Djokovic into submission, we all witnessed a sight we probably never believed would become a reality.

After a five-set classic 12 months ago that saw Djokovic dethroned as the king of Centre Court, here it was all over in just two hours and 27 minutes as Alcaraz overcame a late wobble to claim a 6-2 6-2 7-6 (4) victory.

The 21-year-old Spaniard becomes just the second man in the open era after Roger Federer to win his first four grand slam finals, while he has outdone the great Swiss, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal by reaching that landmark before his 22nd birthday.

With Jannik Sinner having won the Australian Open and Alcaraz going back-to-back at the French Open and here, it finally appears that men’s tennis belongs to the new generation.

Djokovic, meanwhile, is still agonisingly short of an all-time record 25th Grand Slam singles title and remains one behind Federer’s tally of eight Wimbledon crowns.

At the age of 37, the most successful tennis player of them all has finally met his met in Alcaraz and after this chastening defeat on a Centre Court he has made his own, it’s hard to believe he will ever have it all his own way again.

Alcaraz was quicker, stronger, more creative and simply better than Alacarz in every department and while this may not be the end of Djokovic, it is clear now that he has met his match in the new king of men’s tennis.

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The ATP rankings may suggest Jannik Sinner is world No 1 on Monday morning, but after winning the French Open and backing it up by clinching the Wimbledon title in the last month, there is no doubt Alcaraz is now the king of men’s tennis.

From his much improved and booming severe crashing in at over 130mph, to his stunning forehand and his invention in all corners of the court, this was the ultimate masterclass from Alcaraz.

For a 21-year-old who grew up on clay courts to play this level of tennis against the greatest player of them all under the most intense of pressure was truly astounding.

And when he surrendered three match points 5-4 in the third set and still found a way to compose himself to produce a thrilling tie-break, we knew this was the day when the balance of power shifted for good at the top of the men’s game.

There is no shame for Djokovic after he reached the final of Wimbledon a little over a month after he underwent knee surgery and was forced to pull out of the French Open.

To his credit, Djokovic was magnanimous in defeat and his gesture of putting his arm on Alcaraz’s shoulder as they took photographs together on Centre Court at the end of the match was a lovely touch.

This has been a troubled Wimbledon campaign for Djokovic as he lost his cool with the fans and rarely reached the heights we know he is capable of, but that is understandable given his knee surgery just a few weeks ago.

Once he came up against of the true giants of the modern game, he was well beaten and former Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman was right to describe his beating as ‘an annihilation’.

For the last 15 years, no one has battered Djokovic like this and that’s why this Alcaraz win was his most significant yet.

Welcome to world of Carlos Alcaraz. Tennis is so lucky to have another superstar to lead the sport into a glorious new era.