Sunday saw Novak Djokovic once again break his racquet in frustration during a tough Men’s Wimbledon Final loss. But it’s worth noting that Djokovic only specifically threw another tantrum because world No. 1 and first-time Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz gave him all he could handle in a tense match.
When Djokovic was asked to reflect on his defeat post-match, with the heat of the moment behind them, he made sure to pay tribute to Alcaraz’s performance as a bright 20-year-old. He did it by making a classy joke about how Alcaraz actually surprised him with a sterling performance on Wimbledon’s trademark grass.
And as a growing friendly rival, Alcaraz absolutely loved it:
Classy words from the seven-time champion.
An emotional Novak Djokovic speaks after his #Wimbledon final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz… pic.twitter.com/Lvg980Sbn8
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2023
In case you’re not sure what Djokovic referred to when saying he thought Alcaraz would only give him “trouble” on other surfaces, he’s partly calling back their semifinal match at the 2023 French Open earlier this summer. Alcaraz made some incredible plays at Roland-Garros before eventually fading down the stretch.
That, of course, didn’t happen to Alcaraz at Wimbledon, and Djokovic appropriately applauded his young peer for holding it together for the big win.