Carlos Alcaraz 'was toying' with Novak Djokovic during the 2024 Wimbledon Championships final, according to WTA legend Tracy Austin.
Austin is a well-known name in tennis, as she reached the World No. 1 rank on the WTA Tour. She amazed millions of fans with her tennis, winning 30 trophies over her 16-year career, as well as two Grand Slams.
Lately, she has ventured into punditry, often being part of the media coverage for tennis tournaments. She was the guest on the latest episode of the Tennis Channel's 'Inside-In' podcast, and she touched upon the Wimbledon final between Djokovic and Alcaraz.
It hasn't even been a week since that match, but the reviews Alcaraz is getting for his performance aren't stopping. It's certainly becoming a signature win for the Spaniard, which will prominently feature in his legacy many years down the line.
There is a good reason for that. It was a stellar performance by the Spaniard, who won the match 6-2 6-2 7-6(4), and a match where Djokovic never seemed in control. That's incredible to note because of how few matches like that exist.
There were a few of Rafael Nadal's thrashing victories over the Serbian at Roland Garros, but outside of that, there weren't many matches in which Djokovic would be completely outplayed by his opponent.
Austin highlighted that it was due to Alcaraz being too good across the board, including the serve and return, so much so that, at times, it seemed like he was toying with possibly the greatest tennis player of all time.
"It was exciting. At the end of the day, Carlos Alcaraz served incredibly well and returned incredibly well. Sometimes it seemed like he was, I don't know, toying with Novak. It was just so good."
"You're scratching your head like, 'Now you're taking tennis to another level,' and this is very exciting where we can go when you think about Sinner and the athleticism he has."
Austin further discussed the upcoming decade in tennis, which is certainly shaping up to be a very exciting time. At 21, Alcaraz is up to four Grand Slams, and Jannik Sinner is of a similar age and won his maiden major this year.
The Italian is also the number one player on the ATP Tour right now, so with the two youngsters and some other players, it's certainly going to be a great time in tennis.
She also proposed an open question, wondering whether a performance like this is proof that Alcaraz is actually separating himself on a different level from the rest. What happens at the Olympics, the US Open, and the ATP Finals in the following months will likely show whether Alcaraz is truly a step above everyone else.
"Didn't get nervous until he was serving 40-0. It was kind of fun that he had to kind of wiggle out of that and figure it out. To see Carlos get through and get his 4th major. Just building."
"I think it's exciting for the next decade and a half to see where men's tennis can go because there are a few in the conversation, but is Carlos starting to separate himself?"
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