Carlos Alcaraz lived by the slogan, 'To be the best, you have to beat the best,' but explicitly admitted that Novak Djokovic remains the best despite beating the Serb in the Wimbledon final.
Alcaraz, who only turned 20 a few months ago, became the third-youngest Wimbledon champion after coming from a set down to beat Djokovic in five sets at this year's Championships. The Spaniard's seismic performance took many by surprise, showcasing an admirable level of mental strength and some superb defensive skills to outlast the seemingly unbeatable Serb at SW19.
It's not often Djokovic loses Grand Slam matches, more so in finals, after taking the first set. But the fact that Djokovic acknowledged the Spaniard's class and supreme baseline game was enough evidence that the man on the opposite side of the net was truly a one-of-a-kind talent.
Djokovic's stranglehold of top spot in the men's rankings in the past few years brought with him unwavering success. But Alcaraz's meteoric rise has left him with plenty to ponder in the final phase of his career. Alcaraz, however, wasn't buying the idea that he is now the best after dethroning the Serb at Wimbledon.
"I still consider Novak the best, honestly. I have to beat him more than once, twice. Probably with other players they are different, I'm the best, I'm the target on everyone now."
And it looks like Alcaraz is anticipating and preparing for more battles with the indefatigable Djokovic, who at 36, is not showing any signs of slowing down or skipping the biggest events. Djokovic has already fired the first warning shot, saying he wants a rematch at this year's US Open - something Alcaraz is also looking forward to.
"I have Novak on my eyes. I really want to play more times against him. It's really amazing to share the court with him. And as I said, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best and I think I did."
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