"If Novak wins this point, it's over": Key point identified by Stubbs which could've turned Djokovic-Alcaraz Wimbledon final
ATP
Former doubles world number one Australia’s Rennae Stubbs
believes an unforced error in the second game of the fifth set during the
Wimbledon 2023 final turned the match in the favour of the current world number
one Carlos Alcaraz.
The young Spaniard ended up defeating Serbia’s Novak
Djokovic in the final of the third Grand Slam of the year in a five-set thriller
with a score of 1–6, 7–6(8–6), 6–1, 3–6, 6–4 on Sunday.
Stubbs, who won four doubles and two mixed doubles Grand
Slam titles in her career, in a tweet from her personal account, stated that the
mistake from the former world number one in the second game of the decider in
the final proved that he is a human and that gave Alcaraz the much-needed boost.
“This point defined the final … I’m convinced if Novak wins
this point, it’s over and i believe it gave Carlos the opportunity to see that
Novak is human. This point changed the course of Wimbledon history,” she Tweeted.
The defeat ended Djokovic’s hopes of equaling former world number
one Switzerland’s Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles, at least
for the next 12 months.
The 36-year-old, who is also the most successful player in
the history of men’s singles tennis in the Open era with 23 Grand Slam titles to
his name, remains the joint second-most successful player in the history of the
competition with seven titles, equal with America’s Pete Sampras.
On the other hand, the victory was a very special one for
Alcaraz considering that before this year, the current world number one never
played in the quarterfinal or beyond in the competition.
His best outing before this year came in 2022 where he was
knocked out from the fourth round after suffering a defeat against Italy’s Jannik
Sinner with a score of 6-1, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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