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Carlos Alcaraz has revealed how Martina Navratilova’s timely advice helped him win the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.
Alcaraz faced his toughest test when he locked horns with four-time defending champion and seven-time winner Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final on Sunday, July 16.
This was the Spaniard’s second clash with the Serb within a span of weeks. They previously met in the semifinals of the French Open, where Alcaraz suffered a severe bout of cramping due to the pressure of the occasion and was subdued in four sets by the eventual champion.
But the 20-year-old rose to the occasion this time around, ending Djokovic’s 34-match winning streak at Wimbledon with a 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 win. Alcaraz put on a stellar display of his vast skill set to earn the victory, thus etching his name among the greatest athletes to grace the sport.
Following his victory, the World No. 1 revealed that he incorporated Wimbledon record-holder Martina Navratilova’s technical advice in his play. Navratilova, a nine-time Wimbledon singles champion, had suggested to Alcaraz after his first-round victory at SW19 that he use more slices in his game.
“Well, I don’t think you need much (advice), cause you’re doing so amazingly well, winning winners from the baseline. I had to come to the net to hit the winners,” she had said in conversation with Alcaraz on the Tennis Channel.
“But I’d say use the slice more. Cause the ball stays low. Nobody really likes to see a slice coming at them. And you hit it really well. And come to the net more. Not because you need to, but because it’s so nice to see you there,” she had added.
Alcaraz said on Sunday that the Czech-American legend’s advice came in handy during his Wimbledon final against Djokovic.
“(The advice helped me) a lot,” he said on Tennis Channel.
The 20-year-old also said that he thanked Martina Navratilova for her advice when they crossed paths after his victory.
“I saw her after I got out from the court. And I told her, ‘It was your advice! The key.’ I sliced. I tried to do everything she told me. I mean, nine times champion – You have to do whatever she tells you. And I think it was great,” he said.
Carlos Alcaraz concludes 2023 grasscourt season unbeaten with Wimbledon victory
Carlos Alcaraz, who is relatively new to grasscourts, showcased exemplary skills this season to prove his adaptability to the surface.
The Spaniard had competed just twice on the hallowed lawns of Wimbledon prior to this year – in 2021 and 2022. He had collected just six wins from those appearances, suffering a second-round loss to Daniil Medvedev in 2021 and a fourth-round loss to Jannik Sinner in 2022.
However, Alcaraz came out will all guns blazing in 2023. The 20-year-old played two events this year – the ATP 500 Queen’s Club Championships and Wimbledon - and was victorious in both.
“I’ve fallen in love with grass,” he said after winning Wimbledon.
Alcaraz retained his World No. 1 status by defeating World No. 2 Djokovic in Sunday’s final. He also claimed his second Grand Slam title within a year — the Spaniard is the reigning US Open champion as well - and became the third-youngest man to win the grasscourt Major after Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg.
