Wimbledon: ‘Dream final’ – Mats Wilander gives Carlos Alcaraz key advice ahead of Novak Djokovic showdown

Eurosport expert Mats Wilander has previewed the Wimbledon men’s singles final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz with so much on the line for the superstar duo in their showpiece showdown.

It was always the climax to the tournament that most fans wanted with the top two seeds and best players in the world locking horns on Centre Court with the Wimbledon title on the line, and neither has looked like losing en route to the match.

“It is a dream final,” Wilander said at SW19 as he looked ahead to the highly anticipated head-to-head battle.

“We obviously had a lot of dream finals with Federer and Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, and Djokovic and Nadal, but it has been a while since we have had that kind of clash.

“For me, these are the two best players in the world, and they are quite different in the way they play – you have an aggressive player in Carlos and then Novak’s defensive skills on the grass court

“It is going to be absolutely mouthwatering and as exciting as you are going to get watching a tennis match. The anticipation is so high. I am excited.

“In Paris, I would say he was too prepared and started thinking about it as soon as he won in the quarters. It seems like he started thinking about it too early, and we heard that from one of his coaches.

“I think he just has to take it down a notch and chill out, which is not easy, to not be thinking about the final. He needs to work on things that might help him, but he just has to go through regular preparations, and he should be okay.

“He needs to not think about the final too much, and I think he learnt so much from their match in Paris.”

“Everybody knows [Novak] Djokovic is the main favourite, me as well,” Alcaraz told Mats Wilander. “I know he’s the favourite, he’s won the last four Wimbledons, coming for the fifth in a row – 44 matches unbeaten here at Wimbledon, it’s something crazy.

“I’ll try not to think about it, I’ll try to forget all the stats he has here in Wimbledon. I’ll try to think it is one more match like every match that I played before, and I’ll try to show my best and find a way to beat him.

“It’s a dream for me to play a final here in Wimbledon, and it’s even more special against Djokovic,” he added. “He is a legend of our sport, and I always say if you want to be the best you have to beat the best.

“I want to win Wimbledon one day, but it would be more special if I beat Novak in the final. It’s going to be a really emotional moment for me. This is something I looked for since the draw came out, to play a final with him and I’m going to enjoy.”

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