Was there any point during the match you felt that Alcaraz would win this?

[tex123]

Did you give up after the first set debacle? He was dished a breadstick.
Second set went down to the wire and Djokovic had the upper hand in the tie break.
Maybe you felt comfortable after the third set only for Djokovic to come back and win the fourth.

Then I expected the familiar Djokovic story starting i.e. weakgens crumble in the 5th.

I didn't feel comfortable even at match point. Maybe that's because I was rooting for Alcaraz and I've seen many nextgens try and fail. Was there any point during the match you felt that Alcaraz would win this? Because I didn't.

 

[Silverbullet96]

Not "would", but "could", at least for me, I suppose the answer is after the 2nd set TB, before that I was considering Djokovic the heavy favorite.
And also the way Carlos kept hitting clutch shots in really tense moments that other players would have lost, like drop volleys against vintage Novak sliding BHs, I was thinking "Okay, this guy's different, there's a chance"...

 

[TheNachoMan]

When he won that 85 year long game.

 

[ibbi]

I honestly was not that nervous about his chances. Like, the last two finals here you knew there was never any hope. Even after the first set here the beauty of tennis is the score resets so you're starting over, and if you don't know already that this is not a Tsitsipas or a Thiem or a Kyrgios then you probably never will. The end of the first set was the time it looked worst. After the 4th I didn't think there was much reason to fear at all.

 

[Carax]

I genuinely started to believe after that 27-minute game in the third set. I knew it was possible and that he was going to fight until the end.

 

[mike danny]

I honestly was not that nervous about his chances. Like, the last two finals here you knew there was never any hope. Even after the first set here the beauty of tennis is the score resets so you're starting over, and if you don't know already that this is not a Tsitsipas or a Thiem or a Kyrgios then you probably never will. The end of the first set was the time it looked worst. After the 4th I didn't think there was much reason to fear at all.

After the 4th set I was getting AO 2020 F flashbacks.

 

[Beacon Hill]

At some point during the trophy ceremony I figured he might have a chance.

 

[MichaelNadal]

When he won that 85 year long game.

This right here. It took a lot out of Imhotep

 

[TheNachoMan]

This right here. It took a lot out of Imhotep

Took a lot out of me too..lol

 

[ChaelAZ]

First set you could see Djo was trying his best to pressure Alcz and it was working. Carlos grabbing the one game there let me know he was still there. Starting the second going back and fourth, I had hope you could keep it close. Still plenty of opportunities Alcz was missing on, but Djo started having his own lapses in focus. nole started realizing Alcz wasn’t going to go away. The. Alcz stepped up and showed his stance and took the TB. At that point the visual mental stain on Djo was very apparent and Alcz went about his business. From that point on I thought it was on Alcz racquet to win or lose. Djo was frustrated and didn’t have another gear.

 

[Third Serve]

When Djokovic missed that BP in the fifth set I definitely got shades of Pete’s missed overhead in the Federer match back in 2001. That’s when I started to think he could do it.

 

[Quaichang]

Did you give up after the first set debacle? He was dished a breadstick.
Second set went down to the wire and Djokovic had the upper hand in the tie break.
Maybe you felt comfortable after the third set only for Djokovic to come back and win the fourth.

Then I expected the familiar Djokovic story starting i.e. weakgens crumble in the 5th.

I didn't feel comfortable even at match point. Maybe that's because I was rooting for Alcaraz and I've seen many nextgens try and fail. Was there any point during the match you felt that Alcaraz would win this? Because I didn't.

Wasn’t sure until the last point. I have watched too many Novak comebacks from match points and 2 set deficits. He’s like the walking dead.

 

[Spencer Gore]

I had a bad feeling about Djokovic throughout this tournament. After the first set of the final I turned to my friend and said "Borg lost the first set 6-1 in 1980 then went on to win in five" -and somehow I sensed that was what was going to happen, here.

It was only as the ball sailed through the air towards Djokovic's racquet at breakpoint in the fifth set that I thought Novak was going to win. Once he hit that into the net I knew he was doomed.

 

[TopspintheTerrible]

Nope. I've been an Alcaraz fan for a while and I had no faith he would win at any point in the match.

 

[octobrina10]

Did you give up after the first set debacle? He was dished a breadstick.
Second set went down to the wire and Djokovic had the upper hand in the tie break.
Maybe you felt comfortable after the third set only for Djokovic to come back and win the fourth.

Then I expected the familiar Djokovic story starting i.e. weakgens crumble in the 5th.

I didn't feel comfortable even at match point. Maybe that's because I was rooting for Alcaraz and I've seen many nextgens try and fail. Was there any point during the match you felt that Alcaraz would win this? Because I didn't.

The match is not over until it is.

 

[socallefty]

Djokovic stopped hitting aggressively late in the second set and went into his famous lockdown mode expecting Alcaraz to buckle under like other young players have done particularly at Wimbledon. Maybe the wind was bothering Djokovic more than in the first set as his serve % went down along with toss issues - in any case, he got more conservative. Instead Carlos grew in confidence and started playing better until Djokovic was the one who tightened up and choked in the 2nd set TB. As soon as Carlos evened the match in the TB, I started believing that he could win because Djokovic has never played well in windy Slam finals and Carlos was moving well.

 

[tex123]

At some point during the trophy ceremony I figured he might have a chance.

Lol
Good one.

 

[Spencer Gore]

The wind was really bad in Centre Court yesterday. Not sure if it captured it on the television but it was clearly disturbing Djokovic's service action. He definitely wasn't indulging in stalling tactics as others have claimed.

 

[tex123]

Nope. I've been an Alcaraz fan for a while and I had no faith he would win at any point in the match.

Same. After the first set, I had that sinking feeling. That horrible feeling.

When he won that final point, I let out a huge roar.

 

[tex123]

The wind was really bad in Centre Court yesterday. Not sure if it captured it on the television but it was clearly disturbing Djokovic's service action. He definitely wasn't indulging in stalling tactics as others have claimed.

Come on now.


It was the same for both.

 

[NeutralFan]

Even after first set I had this feeling he might win the match.

 

[AnyPUG]

I turned on the TV a bit late and the first image on the screen was Alcaraz fist pumping with an upbeat face and seconds later I saw the score, and it was 1-6 and 4-3.
Looking at his upbeat face at that juncture in the match, I got the impression that he is a fighter and could really win the match if he is able to pull off the second set.
( I was expecting a nervous looking player facing 1-6 , 4-3 and Djokovic closing in on the second with stellar TB record)
The manner in which the second set concluded made me think it's going to be him at the end of the day. ( I had originally picked him to win in 5)

 

[Tweener]

Come on now.


It was the same for both.

I think it was 27 seconds between points for Carlos and 32 seconds for Djokovic. It's not like Carlos was Fed out there ready to serve immediately either. He just doesn't bounce the ball as many times.

 

[tex123]

Even after first set I had this feeling he might win the match.

Wow really. That was the worst moment.

 

[FeroBango]

I told my buddies it would be Alcaraz in 4, just as I'd voted in the poll before the match.

I turned out to be mostly right. Djokovic was never going to be allowed to redline forever by Alcaraz and that's precisely what happened. Well almost. Because to no one's surprise, Nole came back like the Tennis God that he is in that fourth set, taking it early and aggressive.

Even when it went to the fifth, despite all the anxiety, I knew deep down this was only really going to be like one of those 5 setters that he'd won in that marathon USO run.

 

[TopspintheTerrible]

Same. After the first set, I had that sinking feeling. That horrible feeling.

When he won that final point, I let out a huge roar.

Yup same here, I figured it would be a quick 3 setter after 6-1. And after the 4th, I turned it off and went to the gym. I was listening on the radio and was shocked when he broke serve.

And for sure, I fist pumped pretty hard when he won the final point!

 

[BauerAlmeida]

When Djokovic gave away the second set tie-break with two backhand unforced errors. That was totally unDjokovic like.

 

[ibbi]

After the 4th set I was getting AO 2020 F flashbacks.

Seemed like you were getting horrible flashbacks through the entire match.

 

[FeroBango]

I honestly was not that nervous about his chances. Like, the last two finals here you knew there was never any hope. Even after the first set here the beauty of tennis is the score resets so you're starting over, and if you don't know already that this is not a Tsitsipas or a Thiem or a Kyrgios then you probably never will. The end of the first set was the time it looked worst. After the 4th I didn't think there was much reason to fear at all.

Those who've been watching him since relative Tennis infancy know that while his trajectory has been legitimately outstanding, nothing feels wrong about it. You don't already have an 80% career win-rate without ATG written all over your face and racquet.

I was nervous because I am a fan, but I felt it before the match that this was his 09 Nadal moment and it was always going to be the case, as it turned out. It just felt right.

 

[duaneeo]

I felt Alcaraz would win after the 3rd set, then felt he had blown it after losing the 4th set, then felt he would win after he saved break point in his first service game of the 5th set, then I knew he would win when he broke Nole in the next game.

 

[messiahrobins]

Did you give up after the first set debacle? He was dished a breadstick.
Second set went down to the wire and Djokovic had the upper hand in the tie break.
Maybe you felt comfortable after the third set only for Djokovic to come back and win the fourth.

Then I expected the familiar Djokovic story starting i.e. weakgens crumble in the 5th.

I didn't feel comfortable even at match point. Maybe that's because I was rooting for Alcaraz and I've seen many nextgens try and fail. Was there any point during the match you felt that Alcaraz would win this? Because I didn't.

On the match thread i said after 1st set its not over. Thought he was going to win as soon as it was a set all. Had djokovic got the break in 5th set in opening game i think he would have run away with it. Thought alcaraz would win in 5.

 

[Quaichang]

In other words you were never sure until near the end.

 

[ND-13]

how did Alcaraz manage to lose set 4 ?

Novak did not play exceptionally well

 

[tex123]

In other words you were never sure until near the end.

After so many Djokovic's comebacks, no one wanted to believe. We've seen so many weakgens fail. Sinner and Tsitsipas especially.

 

[tex123]

how did Alcaraz manage to lose set 4 ?

Novak did not play exceptionally well

He played a bad service game. Missed easy balls.

 

[Omega_7000]

Break in 3rd set. Somehow I felt like he could come back in the fifth after he lost the fourth.

 

[Rattie]

When broke in the 5th I believed he would. When he served for the match I knew it.

 

[ibbi]

Those who've been watching him since relative Tennis infancy know that while his trajectory has been legitimately outstanding, nothing feels wrong about it. You don't already have an 80% career win-rate without ATG written all over your face and racquet.

I was nervous because I am a fan, but I felt it before the match that this was his 09 Nadal moment and it was always going to be the case, as it turned out. It just felt right.

I certainly wasn't confident enough to have him as favourite but he grew into this tournament brilliantly in the second week, and I certainly never felt it was beyond his capabilities. The Rublev match was not particularly blowaway convincing by Djokovic, and while the Sinner one was far more so, the whole thing was literally decided by a handful of Sinner forehand errors. It was not some absolute beatdown.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Even when Carlos got to MP I thought there was a good chance Djokovic would come back and win it. It's not an unlikely expectation considering how many times he's done it in the past in huge matches.

 

[FeroBango]

While I was confident, the threat of a Djoker blow was there till the very end.

 

[Breakpointerer]

Started to believe after that long game midway through the third, but never wrote Novak off until CP had been won.

 

[nevermind]

When Djokovic's backhand suddenly turned into Backhandttini(Berrettini's backhand) in the tiebreak - dumping two ordinary, neutral rally backhands into the net. I really sensed it's not going to end well(as a Djokovic fan).

 

[mistik]

When Djokovic missed that BP in the fifth set I definitely got shades of Pete’s missed overhead in the Federer match back in 2001. That’s when I started to think he could do it.

This.