Carlos Alcaraz considers Novak Djokovic the favorite tennis player ahead of the hot match that is highly anticipated in the 2023 Wimbledon final.
The Spaniard grabbed the heat of the match after he beat Daniil Medvedev in straight sets in the semifinals, but he is aware of the tough task that awaits him as he seeks the second Grand Slam title of his career.
“Everyone knows Novak is the absolute favorite, and so am I,” Alcaraz told Mats Wilander. “I know he’s the favourite, he’s won Wimbledon the last four seasons, he’s now in his fifth straight final, unbeaten in 44 matches at Wimbledon, it’s crazy.”
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“I will try not to think about it, I will try to forget all the stats he built up here at Wimbledon. I’ll try to think it’s one more game like every game I’ve played before. I will try to show my best performance and find a way to beat him.”
A tennis player who won the first two Grand Slams of the season, Djokovic is looking to emulate former Swiss international Roger Federer by winning a fifth successive title in London and the eighth of his career. The 36-year-old can also bag his first three Grand Slam titles in a season for the second time if he wins the final in London this week.
However, instead of being intimidated by such a tough opponent with so much at stake, the 20-year-old recognized the prospect of facing one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
“It’s a dream for me to make the final here at Wimbledon and it’s even more special playing Novak. He’s a legend in this sport and I’ve always said, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best,” added Djokovic.
“I would love to win a title in London one day but it will be even more special if I beat Novak in the final. It will be a really emotional finale for me. It’s something I’ve been looking forward to since the draw was decided and I’m going to enjoy it.”
However, if Carlos Alcaraz is to win, he will need to avoid a repeat of what happened when they last met in the semifinals of this season’s French Open. When the scores were tied in one set, the Spaniard suffered cramps at the start of the third set and did not fully recover. She fought to the end and refused to back down, but she was powerless to stop the Serb from completing a four-set victory.
