Change is inevitable, but growth is optional! The young boy from Murcia has seen enormous growth in his career in the last couple of years. He has already won slams on three different surfaces; now it’s time to defend his crown from a predator who smelt blood on a barren island. Can the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz, beat the 7-time champion, Novak Djokovic, in the 2024 Wimbledon final? American tennis legend Patrick McEnroe has a particularly interesting take on this.

A successor always stands patiently in the line to replace the King for his throne. Alcaraz is not a patient man. He wants to replace the current King as soon as he can. Has his rapid rise in the biggest stages of the game made us think about a possible ‘Change of Guards’? Well, he has three Slams, while the Djoker is currently chasing his 25th! There’s still a long way to go for the Spaniard, but Patrick McEnroe feels it’s the right time to take the call!

“The changing of the guard comes tomorrow,” tweeted the 58-year-old. Patrick, who is all set to call the men’s singles final at Wimbledon, predicts that the change of guard is more present now than ever at Wimbledon. This reaction from the tennis icon has brought in several flaks from the Nole fans who assert that Djokovic is still the best in business! Initially, there were doubts about the Serb’s participation in this year’s Wimbledon, but he not only confirmed his presence but also said he would now play in the final. 

Victory will be a milestone for both players. Alcaraz is looking to succeed in his first title defense chance. On the other hand, this will be Djokovic’s 10th Wimbledon final. His aim is to match Roger Federer’s astonishing record at this iconic venue? “I’m aware that Roger holds eight Wimbledons [and] I hold seven. History is on the line. Also, the 25th potential grand slam. Of course, it serves as a great motivation, but at the same time, it’s also a lot of pressure and expectations,” said the 37-year-old Serbian tennis star.

Alcaraz is currently far ahead in momentum as his recent title triumph at the French Open gives him immense confidence to demolish any challenge foolish enough to face him. Looking to avenge his defeat from 2023, what does Novak Djokovic have to say about the 21-year-old opponent ahead of this mega battle?

“He’s deservedly one of the greatest 21-year-olds” – Novak Djokovic heaps praise on Carlos Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have an age gap of almost 16 years. This is the biggest age gap in a Grand Slam final since Jimmy Connors (22) and the 39-year-old Ken Rosewall at Wimbledon and the US Open 50 years ago. If Djokovic beats Alcaraz, he will become the oldest Grand Slam winner. “Every time I step out on the court now, even though I’m 37 and competing with the 21‑year‑olds, I still expect myself to win most of the matches, and people expect me to win, whatever, 99% of the matches that I play,” said the Serb.

However, Alcaraz has quite well established himself in a world of complete dominance by Djokovic. The Serb has heaped praise on Alcaraz by calling him a “complete player.” He strongly believes Alcaraz is going to win many Grand Slams in his career, but he hopes he’s going to give him this one on Sunday. Alcaraz has an unbeaten Grand Slam final record, and he could possibly become the youngest back-to-back men’s singles winner at Wimbledon since Boris Becker in 1986. So, there’s a lot at stake for the Spaniard. 

Djokovic added, “He (Alcaraz) is a great example as a young player who has a well-balanced life on and off the court. He is deservedly one of the greatest 21-year-olds we have seen in this sport. We will see a lot of him in the future no doubt.” The Serb thinks this match is all set to go deep yet again on Sunday. However, no matter how many sets it takes, Djokovic said he’s going to give his best to outclass the defending champion. Time to make your predictions and place your bets.