Tennis!

[Baddar]

The first set was closer than the 6-1 scoreline, especially in the first 3 or 4 games.

Alcaraz is doing well in the second. Broke serve, immediately got broken back, but fighting for every point now. Does feel like Alcaraz is struggling to hold every time he's serving though.

[Bobfoc]

All eyes are obviously on Djokovic and Alcaraz, but Britain's Henry Searle won the Boys' Singles earlier today.

[Szumi]

This second set has been some absolutely phenomenal tennis. Just incredible by both men.

Even the tiebreaker is a great display of what this match has turned into. Just some absurd volleys going on. And Alcaraz wins it too!!

[Baddar]

Alcaraz wins the 2nd set on a tie-break, minutes after Novak is given a time violation for taking 3 weeks over every serve.

[Colly]

Djokovic having a bit of an argument with the automatic "let" indicator, not the first time he's denied science.

[FLiam]

Ok - this fifth game in the third set is turning into quite the epic.

[Bobfoc]

That was bananas.

[Szumi]

This service game is both fantastic and also a wonderful exhibition of why tennis should eliminate AD scoring/Deuce. It's absolutely amazing, but also gone on almost half an hour long now. 

[Bobfoc]

That game had more points played than the entirety of the first set, according to the commentators.

[FLiam]

That was some battle. Astonishing tennis from both really.

1 minute ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

This service game is both fantastic and also a wonderful exhibition of why tennis should eliminate AD scoring/Deuce. It's absolutely amazing, but also gone on almost half an hour long now. 

This is part of the draw of tennis for me - I wholeheartedly disagree.

[Bobfoc]

Would it be terribly cynical of me to expect Djokovic to take a strategic medical timeout soon?

EDIT: Or a really long toilet break.

[Szumi]

18 minutes ago, FLiam said:

That was some battle. Astonishing tennis from both really.

This is part of the draw of tennis for me - I wholeheartedly disagree.

I fully get the magic of it! But tennis also very clearly has a problem with how long some matches go. They keep talking about ways to change that because it can hurt their viewership - which is what the ATP/WTA cares about the most - and this would definitely be one way to help improve with how long matches go.

[FLiam]

58 minutes ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

I fully get the magic of it! But tennis also very clearly has a problem with how long some matches go. They keep talking about ways to change that because it can hurt their viewership - which is what the ATP/WTA cares about the most - and this would definitely be one way to help improve with how long matches go.

I do get what you mean though - the reason I’ve fallen off the tennis wagon for the most part is because it’s too time-consuming when you’re an adult with responsibility.

However, it does create some real drama like today - which is what I love about tennis.

[gunnar hendershow]

Some amazing tennis by Alcaraz to get the break in the 5th set.

Novak very rarely looks rattled but he does right now.

[Baddar]

Yes!

[Bobfoc]

That's Alcaraz's moment of arrival. His US Open victory had the asterisk of Djokovic not being there, but there's no such excuse now.

[gunnar hendershow]

Alcaraz truly, truly is special. We may not get a other Big Three era but his era of dominance will be something else.

[Szumi]

Best part about that is it's 5th set, serving for the match, and guy is still throwing in drop shots with zero caution. What an impressive, incredible player.

[Bobfoc]

Just now, damhausen said:

Alcaraz truly, truly is special. We may not get a other Big Three era but his era of dominance will be something else.

I suppose we'll have to see if anyone else pops up over the next few years. I'd say Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune are the next best player of a similar age at the moment, but they're definitely a level below Alcaraz right now.

Twenty years on from Federer's first Wimbledon win, it's astonishing to think that only subsequent two finals haven't involved either Federer or Djokovic.

[gunnar hendershow]

12 minutes ago, Bobfoc said:

I suppose we'll have to see if anyone else pops up over the next few years. I'd say Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune are the next best player of a similar age at the moment, but they're definitely a level below Alcaraz right now. 

Medvedev, Tsitsipas, and Ruud were just waiting for Djokovic and Nadal to finally tail off and now they're just stuck dealing with the younger and better Alcaraz.

Also, Alcaraz is the first player since Andy Murray (and 2nd since 2004) to hold 2 Grand Slam titles at the same time who wasn't in the Big Three.