London, 18 July 2023 – The 136th edition of The Championships, Wimbledon culminated in a thrilling final which saw Rolex Testimonee Carlos Alcaraz claim his maiden Wimbledon title and secure the second Grand Slam® singles crown of his career.
After two weeks of exhilarating tennis, the eagerly anticipated final delivered an extraordinary encounter. Ebbing and flowing in dramatic fashion and full of highoctane rallies, at the end of the 4-hour, 42-minute match, the young Spaniard ultimately reigned supreme in five, breathtaking sets of tennis.
Alcaraz, who only turned 20 years old in May this year, showcased mental fortitude beyond his years on the hallowed turf of Centre Court and displayed outstanding composure and precision in front of the packed, star-studded crowd after losing the first set.
The World No. 1, who won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open last year, was playing in only his fourth grass-court tournament and demonstrated all aspects of his prodigious talent across the two weeks of tennis at SW19. With this victory, Alcaraz becomes the third youngest man to win the Wimbledon title in the Open era. His steely opponent had a chance to tie the final set at 5-5, but Alcaraz stayed cool under pressure, serving his way to the win, earning a landmark victory, and laying the path for the new generation of young players coming into the game.
Steeped in history and renowned for its pristine conditions, manicured grass and timeless traditions, Wimbledon is the temple of tennis and this year’s edition reminded everyone why it is the pinnacle of the sport. United in the pursuit of precision and perpetual excellence, Rolex partners all four Grand Slam tournaments but Wimbledon holds a special place among the Swiss watchmaker’s sporting partnerships. The brand’s relationship with the world’s oldest tennis tournament dates back to 1978, marking the start of an enduring relationship with the sport which extends 40 years, and Rolex was once again present as Official Timekeeper this year.
Alcaraz now joins an exclusive group of Rolex Testimonees to have lifted the Gentleman’s Singles Trophy on Centre Court, including Rod Laver, Björn Borg, Stefan Edberg and Roger Federer. The Spaniard has also followed in Borg’s footsteps by claiming his maiden Wimbledon crown at the age of 20.
After forcing an error on match point with yet another formidable forehand, Alcaraz fell to the ground before climbing through the crowd of adoring fans and into his box. He emotionally embraced his family, friends and coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, before returning to the court to lift the coveted trophy, wearing his Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona.
Speaking after Sunday’s final, Carlos Alcaraz said:“It’s incredible. A dream come true to be able to play on these stages. It’s amazing for a boy, 20 years old, to reach these situations so soon. I’m really proud of myself and proud of the team that I have and the work that we put in every day to be able to live this experience. It’s great for the new generation,” Alcaraz continued,“to see me beating him [Djokovic] and making them think that they are capable to do it.”
On a day where Alcaraz reigned supreme and was crowned the new champion of Wimbledon, it was fitting to be presented the Champion’s trophy from the Princess of Wales, in front of another royal, the King Felipe VI of Spain, who was also present to watch the young Spanish player’s victory.
While Alcaraz triumphed on Wimbledon’s biggest stage, several other members of the Rolex family underlined their class by delivering strong performances, including Jannik Sinner who reached the semi-finals of the men’s draw and Iga ?wi?tek who reached the quarter-finals of the women’s draw.
The attention of the tennis world now turns to the hard-court swing and the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, the US Open. This year’s edition will take place from 28 August–10 September and sees Alcaraz return as defending champion, having claimed the men’s singles crown in 2022 and his maiden Grand Slam triumph.
