When it was disclosed that Djokovic had surgery on 5 June for a medial meniscus tear in his right knee, it raised doubts not only about his chances for a title but also about his ability to compete at Wimbledon.
There were fears that he might not be able to participate in the tournament at all.
Yet, aside from the supportive brace on his knee, it was hard to discern that Djokovic had suffered a significant injury.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion quickly returned to his formidable and consistent style of play, losing only two sets across six matches.
However, everything changed on Sunday as Djokovic’s performance took a noticeable dip, showcasing an unfamiliar game characterized by unsuccessful attempts to approach the net and several unforced errors.
What was anticipated to be an exciting match began in a dramatic fashion—a 14-minute service game from Djokovic, where he saved four break points before ultimately going down.
Alcaraz’s self-assured start persisted, and a rare double fault from Djokovic resulted in a double break that allowed the Spanish third seed to comfortably secure the first set.
In the second set, the Serb experienced a sense of déjà vu as Alcaraz executed delicate drop volleys and powerful winners to achieve an early break, further capitalizing on another double fault by Djokovic.
Despite struggling, Djokovic held his ground in the third until Alcaraz advanced to a 5-4 lead, putting himself in a position to serve for the match.
However, the 21-year-old committed a double fault on his first match point, hit into the net on his second, and then sent the ball wide on his third, allowing Djokovic to break back and push the match to a tie-break.
At that moment, the chance for a stunning comeback quickly evaporated as Alcaraz seized control of the match.
“It clearly wasn’t the outcome I was hoping for, but in the first couple of sets, my level of tennis fell short,” Djokovic remarked.
“It just wasn’t meant to be. I attempted to lengthen the match, but he was a fully deserving winner today, so congratulations to him.”
