Novak Djokovic on losing to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon: “The way I felt today against him, I was inferior. That was it. He played every shot better than me?” Watch updates from the ATP and WTA tours in Bastad, Gstaad, Hamburg, Palermo and Budapest live on Sky Sports Tennis
With Michael Cantillon at Wimbledon
19:16, United Kingdom, Sunday 14 July 2024
Novak Djokovic admitted he was “inferior” in Sunday’s Wimbledon final loss to Carlos Alcaraz but vowed to return to SW19 to fight another day.
For the second consecutive year, Djokovic suffered defeat in the Wimbledon final to 21-year-old Alcaraz, but while last year was a five-set saga that could have gone either way, the 2024 final was rather more one-sided.
Indeed, the loss was the first time in over a decade – since Andy Murray’s success at Wimbledon in 2013 – that Djokovic has been beaten in straight sets in a Grand Slam final on grass, going down 6-2 6-2 7- 6 (7-4).
“He was the best player from start to finish,” Djokovic said. “You can always analyze the match, of course, and say I could have done this or that.
“In general, the way I felt on the court today against him, I was inferior on the court. That was it. He was a better player. He played every shot better than me.
“I tried to fight in the third and come back, saving three points, extending the match a little bit. But I guess it was inevitable that he would win today because he was just coming out on the court with better quality. tennis is that simple.
“I don’t think I could have done much more. I’ve never seen him serve that fast. He must have had a really good day of practice yesterday. He really outplayed me overall.
“[Last year] I lost in an epic five set match that went toe to toe. This year was not like that. It was all about him. They were the dominant force on the field and deserved the win. You could see from the start that he was at least half a step better than me in every way.”
Despite the loss and its manner, Djokovic – who made a remarkable recovery from knee surgery to even take part in Wimbledon this year – said he would return to compete in the championships again.
“As far as coming back here, I would love to,” he said. “I have nothing else on my mind right now as it’s my last Wimbledon. I really want to play.
“I don’t have any limitations in mind. I still want to go on and play as long as I feel I can play at this high level.”
Of the epic opening game to the final that lasted 14 minutes, 20 points and eventually saw Alcaraz seal a first break, Djokovic said: “The first game was incredible. One of the greatest first games I’ve ever played.
“That set the tone. I think he was coming out of the blocks ready to fight and ready to play his best level straight away, which wasn’t the case last year where I started better, had a comfortable win in the first set.
“Today, from the first point, he was there, he was ready. That’s all I can say about that.”
Djokovic now sets his sights on the Olympics – an event he has never won before in four previous attempts – and knows the quality of Alcaraz and 22-year-old Italian Yannick Sinner will make it difficult for him to claim a gold medal.
“The Olympics and the US Open are the two big goals for the rest of the year for me, really. I hope I can be at my best in those two tournaments,” he said.
“To get to the Wimbledon final, of course, is a big confidence booster. But I also feel like I’m in a match today against the best player right now in the world for sure, apart from Jannik [Sinner] – both are the best this year by far – I feel like I’m not at that level.
“To really have a chance to beat these guys in a late-stage Grand Slam or the Olympics, I’m going to have to play a lot better than I did today and feel a lot better than I did today.
“I’m going to work on it. It’s nothing I’ve ever experienced before in my life. I’ve had so many different experiences throughout my career. In the face of adversity, I usually pick myself up and learn and get stronger that’s what I’m going to do.”
Alcaraz: When I finish my career, I want to sit at the table with the big boys
Carlos Alcaraz speaking to media…
“Obviously I’ve seen and heard all the stats that I’m the youngest to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year. I honestly try not to think about it too much.
“Obviously it’s a very good start to my career, but I have to keep going. I have to keep building my path.
“At the end of my career, I want to sit at the same table as the big boys. That’s my main goal. That’s my dream right now. It doesn’t matter if I’ve already won four Grand Slams at the age of 21 if I don’t continue in all these tournaments.
“I really want to continue. I will try to keep winning and finish my career with many of them.
“I am very happy with the work I am doing with my team. I’m really proud of myself, everything I do is great.
“Everything we’ve done already has been incredible, an amazing journey so far. Like I said, I really want to keep going, keep improving, keep growing, try to keep winning. That’s all that matters to me this dot.
“I don’t know what my limit is. I don’t want to think about it. I just want to keep enjoying my moment, just keep dreaming. So let’s see if at the end of my career it’s 25, 30, 15, four [Grand Slam titles]. I do not know.
“All I want to say is I want to keep enjoying myself and let’s see what the future holds.”
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