Carlos Alcaraz continues to break new ground in his staggering young career. On Friday, he was booed by a tennis crowd for the first time. Backing against the England football team will do that to a person. 

They were jest-driven boos, of course, in reaction to Alcaraz daring to forecast a “good day for Spanish people” were he to win a second straight men’s Wimbledon crown followed by success for Spain against Gareth Southgate’s side in the Euro 2024 final.

It came after the reigning champion came from a set down to defeat Daniil Medvedev after another blistering display on Centre Court.

Between Alcaraz and a Lamine Yamal-Nico Williams tandem, both Novak Djokovic and the Three Lions know they have some of their respective sports most dynamite young talents to bypass if they wish to become champions.

“Being a Spaniard, yeah, it would be a perfect Sunday,” reiterated Alcaraz.

“Obviously these last days I’ve spoken with a few players. We send best of luck in every match. Obviously we send the best of luck on Sunday.”

Djokovic would later describe Alcaraz as one of the greatest 21-year-olds tennis has ever produced, the Spaniard already no stranger to the biggest stage as he gears up for his fourth Grand Slam final.

He ousted the Serbian in a five-set thriller this time last year, but insists he will not be thinking any differently as he heads into Sunday’s rematch.

“I try not to think about that I’m the defending champion,” said Alcaraz. “I just go into every match thinking that obviously I have chances to lose. Every match, it’s a war. The opponent, they are going to put his best tennis to beat you. That’s obviously.

“I’m thinking that I have to be a good player on that match. I am thinking that I have to play my best tennis if I want to keep going.

“Honestly, since the tournament began, I didn’t think I’m the defending champion. I try to be better every day, to get better, or to play a better tennis every match that I’m playing.

“It was kind of similar feelings comparing to last year.”

Twice this week Alcaraz has admitted to early nerves in matches against Tommy Paul and Medvedev, both occasions seeing him overcome a first set deficit to march to victory.

At the same time, he has continued to reiterate the belief he has in his own self-imposed high standards and resilience to hurdle any adversity thrown his way. It is why the Rafael Nadal comparisons, no matter how stereotypical or over-exhausted they might feel at times, are so very valid.

“This is something that I working on,” he added. “Obviously having nerves is normal, but you have to control it. Having nerves or control nerves is really good.

“But when you’re not controlling it, it’s difficult to play your best tennis or to deal with the situations. That’s what happened in the first set to me. I was struggling with my service games. It was in a rush. I was nervous. Daniil seems like he was controlling the match.

“So after that set, even if I lost the first set, I calm myself and I start to play better, to feel like I’m going to have fun. After that I’m going to play my best tennis. So it’s something that I’m working on.”

For Djokovic it beckons as a 37th Grand Slam final, this one coming just weeks after knee surgery and with the 24-time major champion having been doubtful over his ability to even compete at the All England Club.

Djokovic is 3-2 in his head-to-head career against Alcaraz, most recently beating him in the semi-final of the ATP Finals in 2023.

The 37-year-old sealed his place in a 10th Wimbledon final by beating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets on Friday evening.

“Well, obviously everybody knows Djokovic,” said Alcaraz. “He has played multiple Grand Slam finals, have won a lot of them. Last year it was a really difficult match. He put me in a really trouble, I’m going to say.

“But I know how it’s going to feel playing against Djokovic. I’ve played few times in Grand Slams, final of Master 1000, multiple times against him. I know what I have to do. I’m sure he knows what he has to do to beat me. It’s going to be a really interesting one if I’m going to play against Djokovic.

“But I’m ready to take that challenge and I’m ready to do it well.”

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

In the run-up to the final Grand Slam of 2024 – the US Open – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the hard-court season.

• Hamburg Open (ATP 500) 15-21 July
• Newport Hall of Fame Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
• Swiss Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
• Bastad Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
• Palermo Ladies Open (WTA 250) 15-21 July
• Hungarian Grand Prix (WTA 250) 15-21 July
• Prague Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July
• Iasi Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July
• Umag Open (ATP 250) 21-26 July

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