WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will meet in the Wimbledon men’s final on Sunday, with the title and the No. 1 ranking on the line.
It’s quite a matchup.
Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, is ranked No. 2 and is the established star of tennis, someone who already owns a men’s-record 23 Grand Slam trophies. He is seeking a fifth in a row and record-tying eighth overall at the All England Club.
Alcaraz, a 20-year-old from Spain, is ranked No. 1 and is considered the sport’s Next Big Thing, someone who won the U.S. Open last September for his first major championship and became the first teenager to finish a season atop the ATP rankings.
This will be a rematch of a semifinal at the French Open last month. It was a thriller for two sets, which the players split, but then Alcaraz was overcome by full body cramps and Djokovic ran away with the last two sets 6-1, 6-1 en route to claiming the title in Paris.
Alcaraz and Djokovic are scheduled to walk out on Centre Court at 2 p.m. local time, which is 9 a.m. EDT, and should start shortly playing thereafter.
Marketa Vondrousova defeated Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 for her first Grand Slam title. Vondrousova is the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon. She missed six months of last season and came to the All England Club ranked 42nd. Before the fortnight began, she had a 1-4 career record at the grass-court major tournament. Jabeur fell to 0-3 in Grand Slam finals. That includes a loss to Elena Rybakina at Wimbledon last year.
— In the U.S.: ESPN, Tennis Channel
— Other countries listed here.
Djokovic is the favorite against Alcaraz, listed at minus-210, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Alcaraz is listed at plus-172. A wager on Djokovic to win in straight sets would pay plus-250, while the same wager on Alcaraz would pay plus-650.
What you need to know about Wimbledon, the year’s third Grand Slam tennis tournament:
— Only 5% of the women who played singles at Wimbledon are coached by women
— The women’s tennis tour is trying to help more female coaches make it to the pros
— Tennis appears headed for Saudi Arabia. Is it about sportswashing, women’s rights or both?
— The All England Club is trying to balance tradition and evolution
— Novak Djokovic is pursuing more history, and his self-belief is a big part of his success
— Women’s tennis is working toward equal pay at more tournaments
— Facts and figures about Wimbledon, including a look back at 2022
Try your hand at the AP’s Wimbledon quiz.
42 — Marketa Vondrousova’s ranking entering Wimbledon, making her the lowest-ranked — and first unseeded — woman to win the championship at the All England Club.
“This is the most painful loss of my career.” — Ons Jabeur, after falling to 0-3 in Grand Slam finals.
— Sunday: Men’s Final
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
