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THE FACTS
When is Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic on and what time does it start? Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic will take place on Sunday 16th July, 2023 – not before 14:00 (UK)
Where is Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic taking place? Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic will take place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England
What surface is Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic being played on? Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic will take place on an outdoor grass court
Where can I get tickets for Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic
What channel is Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic on in the UK? Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic will be televised live on BBC platforms as well as Eurosport
Where can I stream Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic in the UK? Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic can be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website & app, while subscribers can stream the match on Eurosport platforms.
THE LOWDOWN
CARLOS ALCARAZ
World number one Carlos Alcaraz has improved with each passing round at Wimbledon, reaching his first final at SW19 via remarkable straight-set results over world number six Holger Rune and number three Daniil Medvedev. The 20-year=old came into the grass swing as an anomaly on his least familiar surface but after surviving an early scare in the first round at Queen’s he has not looked back, claiming his first ATP title on the surface to begin what is now an 11-match winning streak. Alcaraz won his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open last summer in Novak Djokovic’s absence but lost to the Serb in the semi-finals of Roland-Garros last month, in four sets.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
World number two Novak Djokovic made it 34 wins on the spin at Wimbledon with a dominant display over Jannik Sinner on Friday. The 36-year-old is one win away from winning five Wimbledon titles in a row, matching both Roger Federer’s streak set here between 2003-2007 and the Swiss’ record eight total titles at SW19 in one fell swoop. Djokovic set the new Men’s singles Grand Slam record last month by securing his 23rd Grand Slam title and he can match Margaret Court’s overall record of 24 here on Sunday. The Serb is also targeting a calendar slam this season after coming close on a number of occasions, most recently losing at the final hurdle to Daniil Medvedev at the US Open in 2021.
THE PREDICTION
Whilst cramping affected the final two sets of Novak Djokovic’s four-set victory over Carlos Alcaraz there was enough in that match last month to suggest this could be a proper classic on Sunday. Djokovic played well but was relatively untested by Jannik Sinner on Saturday to surge through to a fifth-straight final here. The Serb has not lost on Centre Court since defeat to Andy Murray in the final 10 years ago and he looks more imperious here with each passing year, seemingly getting better with age whilst he sweeps aside generation after generation. It is difficult to suggest after so many previous players have fallen by the wayside but Carlos Alcaraz is certainly the Serb’s biggest challenger since the halcyon days of the Big Four. The Spaniard shares a 1-1 head-to-head record with Djokovic with sets going both ways in both encounters – both on clay – to suggest that this will be the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s toughest Wimbledon final since his 2019 epic with Roger Federer.
Alcaraz has markedly improved with each passing round but it would be easy to get carried away with his performance over Daniil Medvedev in a very bad match-up for the Russian. A straight-sets victory over Holger Rune is more encouraging ahead of this blockbuster but it remains to be seen how the 20-year-old copes with the pressure this time around after becoming dominated by Djokovic’s aura at Roland-Garros. The simple fact is that Novak Djokovic came into Wimbledon more of a favourite than ever before and only Carlos Alcaraz has looked capable of changing that. The Serb can be backed to win outright, with four sets about as likely as three, but prepare for an epic if Alcaraz can take that first set and then maintain focus.