When could Alcaraz and Djokovic collide again after Wimbledon?
The Spaniard was unstoppable against the world No..1 in Sunday’s Wimbledon final. Both men could meet on a tennis court again soon.
The rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic had another thrilling episode on Sunday, as both men met again in the Wimbledon final after playing each other in the tournament’s same round in 2023.
While many expected a tough, close battle between the two tennis maestros, the reality was very different, with the Murcia native playing one of the most solid games of his career to defeat the 24-time major champion in straight sets.
While Djokovic wasn’t probably at his best given he underwent knee surgery after the French Open, he made it to the final convincingly but couldn’t get past Alcaraz’s talent and superb fitness.
Unlike other times when the Serb had to deal with some setbacks during games, Djokovic couldn’t change the game dynamics and wasn’t even seen complaining despite not performing as he expected. At the post-game court interview, the Belgrade star admitted Carlos was the better man from start to end.
When could Alcaraz and Djokovic play again?
Alcaraz and Djokovic have met on six occasions on a tennis court, with three victories each. After Wimbledon, there are a few 250 tournaments on clay and hard, and only one major left to be played, the US Open.
However, this year, the calendar is slightly different, as the 2024 Olympic Games will be held in Paris, where both players could meet in their quest for the men’s singles gold medal.
Djokovic has never won the Olympic tennis tournament after participating four times, and given he’s 36, this will likely be his last chance to clinch gold before retiring. However, Alcaraz will also be eyeing the gold medal in the French capital, besides other world’s top players.
Given his current form and that he won Roland Garros, Alcaraz will be the main favorite to keep making history. The Olympic tournament will take place from July 27 to August 4 and will be on clay, as the venue will be the one that hosted the second major of the season.
Djokovic, though, has the chance of a lifetime to redeem himself and become an Olympic champion, In 2008 Nadal defeated him, while in 2012 Andy Murray got the better of him, and in 2016 Juan Manuel Del Potro eliminated him in a close contest. The last one to prevent Djokovic from dreaming about the Olympic gold was Alexander Zverev in Tokyo 2020.