Wimbledon 2022: Is Carlos Alcaraz the only competitor for Novak Djokovic?
Novak Djokovic looks untouchable again at Wimbledon 2022. According to the impressions so far, only one man could pose a threat to the Serb: Carlos Alcaraz .
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jul 02, 2022, 11:24 am
In notoriously competitive Britain, it has gotten to the point that if you dare to bet on Novak Djokovic to win Wimbledon, you are essentially paying a fine. The Serb, who last lost a regular match on site in 2016, presents himself as superior. Against Sam Querrey, who can remember. The odds for Djokovic to win this year are far worse than those for FC Bayern Munich to win at home against Arminia Bielefeld.
skywimbeldon2022
So the big question is no longer: Who can stop Novak Djokovic? But highest: Who can make the defending champion sweat at least a little. Of course, the first candidate that comes to mind is Rafael Nadal, who could only meet Djokovic in the final. And so far has not left nearly as confident an impression as his Serbian permanent rival. Ultimately, when looking at the tableau, there is only enough imagination for one potential challenger: Carlos Alcaraz.
Why?
Because this is where the matchup is most likely to promise excitement. Jannik Sinner, for example, who plays against Alcaraz in the round of 16 on Sunday and could still prevent the 18-year-old Spaniard from playing Djokovic, is simply not yet stable enough to really challenge the big favorite. That would be Alcaraz because he gives out fewer gifts than Sinner and can calculate a bit in the longer baseline duels.
Alcaraz beats Djokovic on clay
Djokovic and Alcaraz played each other once, in the semifinals in Madrid a few months ago. Alcaraz narrowly prevailed in the home game, the game could have gone the other way. As is well known, Madrid is played on clay, a surface on which Alcaraz already has experience. Completely different from the lawn. Like Djokovic, the teenager did without preparatory tournaments, instead trying out a little in an exhibition fight.
On the other hand: Carlos Alcaraz is a quick learner. And showed in round one against Jan-Lennard Struff that he can also play successfully in a matchup that was unfavorable for him. Round three against Oscar Otte on Friday was almost as easy for him as Djokovic's performance against compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.
Jannik Sinner could still stand in the way of a duel between Djokovic and Alcaraz - and also a man who wasn't really on the radar until his sensational success in 's-Hertogenbosch a few weeks ago: Tim van Rijthoven. However, the odds for a Djokovic win against the Dutchman are likely to be even less profitable than for Bayern Munich to win against a fifth division team in the DFB Cup.
Here is the individual tableau in Wimbledon
wimmap