Rafael Nadal's uncle suggests Novak Djokovic will not be Carlos Alcaraz's biggest rival after Wimbledon final disappointment

Rafael Nadal's uncle and former longtime coach Toni recently wrote in his column that Novak Djokovic was no more Carlos Alcaraz's top rival given how their 2024 Wimbledon final ended. The Spaniard defeated Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) on Sunday (July 14), fashioning one of the worst Slam final losses of the Serb's career.

Djokovic, who had his right knee operated in early June to treat a torn meniscus, reached the title clash at SW19 in gutsy fashion. The second seed was looking to tie Roger Federer's record of eight titles at the grasscourt Major. Unfortunately for him, it was not meant to be.

Up against Carlos Alcaraz in a rematch of their 2023 five-set final, the 24-time Major winner was thoroughly outplayed by his younger opponent in the first two sets. And while the Serb did regroup in the third set, it turned out to be too little too late for him as he succumbed in straight sets.

Toni Nadal argued in his column for 'El Pais' that Novak Djokovic made a tactical blunder with his style of play. He went on to suggest that only Jannik Sinner can keep up with Alcaraz's fast tempo these days.

Toni claimed that the Wimbledon final result made it clear that Sinner was more of a rival to the Spaniard than Djokovic was.

"In my opinion, the only option the Serbian had was to try to slow down the game. To hope that he was completely right and to trust that Carlos was not having his best day," Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni wrote in his column for El Pais. "Trying to beat the player from Murcia by speed is practically impossible nowadays. Perhaps only Jannik Sinner can play the Spaniard on equal terms.

"And, in fact, this Sunday's final confirms that the real rivalry in the next tournaments and, probably, in the next few years will be between these two: the Italian and our great Spanish champion."

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"Novak Djokovic tried a tactic that ultimately proved suicidal" - Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni

Novak Djokovic looks on during Wimbledon final

Uncle Toni further wrote that Novak Djokovic faced a difficult proposition before his Wimbledon clash against Carlos Alcaraz. The 63-year-old also suggested that had he been in the Serb's shoes, he would've stuck with his trademark grueling style of play.

"The decision was not easy. It is the same one that many players and teams face when they face a superior opponent," Uncle Toni wrote. "How do we approach the match? Do we face it with our usual weapons and our own style or, on the contrary, do we try to neutralize our opponent by looking for other solutions by moving away from our characteristic game? Personally, I always chose the first."

He ended his column by stating that the 24-time Major winner's tactic of rushing Alcaraz and trying to get on top of rallies "ultimately proved suicidal."

"Djokovic opted for the second option," he added. "Knowing that neither his legs nor the precision of his strokes were what they once were, and that a long and physical match would not help him either, he tried a tactic that ultimately proved suicidal."

The Serb's hunt for a title in 2024 continues after his loss in the Wimbledon final. His run at SW19 has been his best of the year so far; Djokovic has amassed 23 wins out of 30 matches in 2024.

He remains the World No. 2 in the ATP rankings, 1110 points behind World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.