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Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in five sets to claim his maiden Wimbledon championship title – fans found striking similarities during his winning moment comparing it to 2008 Rafael Nadal
Carlos Alcaraz is often compared to Rafael Nadal for various reasons. Alcaraz himself admits that he has idolised Nadal growing up and has modelled his playing style on the King of Clay. The potential, the talent and the precise execution, Alcaraz has it in abundance. When you watch Alcaraz play, you can definitely relate him to Nadal in the early stages of his career. And now, there seems to be a new addition to it – which some say is co-incidence while others believe it is “history repeating itself”.
A footage comparing Alcaraz’s championship-winning point in 2023 and Nadal’s championship-winning point in Wimbledon 2008 has gone viral on the internet. Fans can’t help but notice the similarity between both the points in terms of the strokes in the rally and the immediate celebrations. Let us take a look at some of the reactions from fans social media after this video went viral.
Rafael Nadal is a beloved figure in the world of tennis, and his contributions to the sport have solidified his place among the greats of his era. The Spaniard won his maiden Wimbledon Championship way back in 2008. In the final, Nadal faced the Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer.
Federer had won the Wimbledon title five consecutive times from 2003 to 2007 and was considered the dominant force on grass courts. The match between Nadal and Federer was an epic encounter and lasted for a record-breaking 4 hours and 48 minutes, making it the longest Wimbledon final in history at the time.
The final took place on July 6, 2008, at the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which is the traditional venue for the Wimbledon Championships. It was a five-set battle, with Nadal prevailing over Federer with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7. The match was filled with intense rallies, exceptional shot making, and numerous rain delays that added to the drama.
By winning the championship, Nadal became the first Spanish player since Manuel Santana in 1966 to win the Wimbledon title. Nadal’s victory ended Federer’s streak of consecutive Wimbledon titles at five. It was considered a significant moment in tennis history as Nadal emerged as a major threat to Federer’s dominance on all surfaces. After securing the win, Nadal fell to the ground on his back in jubilation. The emotional moment marked his first Wimbledon triumph and solidified his place among the tennis elite.
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