Sports
Tennis usually passes the torch. Carlos Alcaraz is running away with it
WIMBLEDON — This wasn’t a torch-passing. It was more like a torch-grabbing, followed by a sprint around the bend and then another mile or two down the road.
Last year, Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic by a whisker in the Wimbledon men’s final, taking advantage of a few rare errors from the now 24-time Grand Slam champion to win an up-and-down five-set saga that lasted nearly five hours.
He snuck away with that title. On Sunday, he hammered and danced and drop-shotted his way to a second consecutive Wimbledon men’s singles title. This was a 6-2, 6-2 7-6(7-4) drubbing of Djokovic and his surgically-repaired right knee, on a court the Serb has mostly owned for more than a decade.
When something happens twice, it ceases to be an accident, ailing knee or not.
A deteriorating joint is the sort of thing that a 37-year-old champion who has played professional tennis for 20 years has to deal with.
Alcaraz had Djokovic contorting himself throughout the final (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)
It’s bad luck. It’s also life in the tennis twilight, as so many others who have gone through it can attest. It’s the sort of slow dying of the light that gives a player such as 21-year-old Alcaraz — a generational talent who plays with a joy so many other players yearn for — the chance to grab a torch and run away with it, lighting up the sport.
For the better part of a decade, Djokovic has been the dominant player. Even last year, when Alcaraz nicked him on Centre Court, it was the lone stumble in one of his greatest seasons. He won Grand Slam titles at the Australian, French, and U.S. Opens; he won the season-ending Tour Finals; he had a No 1 next to his name in the rankings at the end of the year for a record eighth time.
All at 36 years old.
But he is 37 now.
And in seven magical weeks, beginning in Paris in late May and ending Sunday on the most famous court in the sport, Alcaraz made all that look like the last great chapter in the most decorated and accomplished career in the modern era of tennis, which began in 1968.
Djokovic may yet rise again. He did plenty of rising at the All England Club over the past two weeks, when few would have even tried. He should be as good as a a 37-year-old fighting to keep his body in tune can be, by the time he defends his U.S. Open title in New York at the end of August.
Forget all that for a minute, though. With this win, Alcaraz joined one of the most exclusive clubs in men’s tennis. He became the rare player who can win on the slow red clay of Roland Garros in June, then repeat the trick on the slick grass of SW19 in July.
Rod Laver. Bjorn Borg. Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer. Djokovic. And now Alcaraz. That’s it in the Open Era. With an extra chair on the end, they can fit in a booth at one of the pubs in Wimbledon Village.
Alcaraz holds the Wimbledon title for the second consecutive year (Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images)
“A huge honor to me,” the Spaniard said, as he clutched the winner’s trophy in the late-afternoon sun. “Huge champions.”
Then, he said he isn’t one of them yet. He still has a lot of work to do.
He is off to a very good start.
Djokovic called Alcaraz’s win “inevitable”, after 12 days in which the Serbian had made his surgeon, and the physical therapist who guided his rehabilitation from a meniscus operation on June 5, look like true masters of the trade. By the time he dispatched Lorenzo Musetti on Friday to cruise into his 10th Wimbledon final, and 37th Grand Slam final, he appeared to be floating across and up and down the court, as though the surgery had happened in the distant past.
In recent years, he had won Grand Slam titles with tears in an abdominal muscle and a hamstring. At Wimbledon today, he was on the verge of doing it less than six weeks after a knee operation.
Then, however, Alcaraz appeared on the other side of the net.
This was not the nervous, first-time Wimbledon finalist who 12 months ago lost the first five games of the final before somehow recovering from that early blitz. Alcaraz is no longer some boy wonder, and on Sunday he was a man with a championship to defend and a chance to put the sport in a headlock.
Alcaraz slid this shot over the net for a winner (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
“He was better than me in every aspect of the game,” Djokovic said. This final may have an asterisk, one that may grow larger if Djokovic returns to being the player he was before knee surgery, or even a figment of that player. For now, it is an assessment without blemish. “Movement. He was striking the ball beautifully. From the very beginning, he was better.”
Djokovic served first. A dozen minutes later, he was still serving, fighting with everything he had to win what is so often the meaningless first game of a match. Back and forth they went, through seven deuces and five chances for Alcaraz to break.
Alcaraz unleashed his first outrageous shot of the day midway through those 12 minutes, a scorching forehand down the line with Djokovic rushing the net. Djokovic didn’t even bother turning his head. It’s the shot that Alcaraz lands when he is feeling his magic.
Djokovic’s chest was rising and falling between points, his panting audible from 250 feet away. No wonder he was a half-step late to catch up with a volley, the ball dipping below the net before a furtive backhand swish of his racket sent it into the mesh. Then he sent an easy forehand sailing wide. He put himself in a hole — a hole he would spend the next 135 minutes trying to dig himself out of.
Alcaraz dragged Djokovic all over a court he has made his living room (John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Afterwards, he thought back to last year’s epic five-set loss.
“We went toe-to-toe,” Djokovic said, with a mix of pride for having gotten so far so soon after his surgery, and resignation about how dramatically the dynamic had shifted in 12 months. “This year, it was nothing like that. It was all about him. He was the dominant force.”
It’s something everyone is probably going to have to get used to, if they haven’t already.
Jannik Sinner of Italy, the 23-year-old Australian Open champion, remains the world No. 1, because of the complicated formula the sport uses for its rankings. Alcaraz is likely to be back there before too long. Plus, no matter what the rankings say, the Spaniard is now the sport’s alpha dog, a four-time Grand Slam champion with a game that is still developing. He is capable of tennis acrobatics that he relishes almost as much as does winning – and sometimes more. He does plenty of both.
“Shotmaker” doesn’t do the flair of his game justice. Alcaraz is a shot creator, a player who has to always be innovating and improvising, pushing the limits of what he can do with a racket and ball.
After muffing three championship points on his own serve, Alcaraz had to reset to push the final set to a tiebreak and ward off Djokovic one last time.
As he rushed the net, Djokovic fired a ball at his shoelaces. Alcaraz skipped up and dipped the top of his racket to the grass. Somehow, he made the ball spin just over the net. He tried to fight off a grin as he walked back to start the next point, shaking his finger at the crowd.
Alcaraz’s finesse in the front of the court made a huge difference (Frey/TPN via Getty Images)
Then he cracked a 120mph second serve like those three match points had never happened, and then it was the tiebreak and then it was deja vu from Paris. Alcaraz climbed into the stands once more, joining a clump with his team, a three-way embrace with his parents, and then the longest hug of all with Juan Carlos Ferrero, the former world No 1, his coach and tennis father since he was 14.
He knew what he had pulled off, as he rose into the rarefied air of the French Open-Wimbledon double club, ready to sink into another year as the champion of the most important tournament in the sport.
He’s on the road to where he wants to go, still emerging while already a star.
“It’s good for tennis to have new faces,” he said.
Especially him, the brightest new face of all.
(Photos: Getty Images; design: Dan Goldfarb)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Tiger Woods was released from jail Friday night after he was arrested earlier in the day on a DUI charge following a car crash in Florida.
In a mugshot released hours after his arrest, Woods’ eyes appeared bloodshot, as he donned a blue polo inside the Martin County Jail in Florida.
Woods was seen leaving the jail in the passenger seat of a black SUV after his release on bail late Friday, according to The Associated Press.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed in a news conference that Woods was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, resulting in his vehicle rolling over onto the driver’s side.
Tiger Woods was booked into Martin County, Florida, jail on March 27, 2026. (AP)
Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.
“DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment. They did several tests on him. Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests,” Budensiek added.
“We really weren’t suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case, and that proved to be true at the jail. … But when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused. And, so, he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”
Woods was spotted on the phone after the crash, wearing navy blue shorts.
Woods was charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a test, all misdemeanor charges. No one was injured, authorities said. Woods was alone in the car and crawled out of the passenger door after the crash.
Tiger Woods was driven from the Martin County Jail after being arrested for driving under the influence following a car crash on March 27, 2026, in Stuart, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
VANESSA, KAI TRUMP TAKE IN TIGER WOODS’ RETURN TO GOLF AT TGL FINALS
“This could’ve been a lot worse,” Budensiek noted.
President Donald Trump commented on the arrest of his “very close friend.”
“I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said. “There was an accident, and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, an amazing man, but some difficulty.”
Woods has not commented on the arrest.
Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge after getting into a car crash on Friday. (Associated Press)
Woods currently is dating Trump’s ex-daughter-in-law, Vanessa, whose daughter, Kai, is set to play college golf in Miami next week.
This is Woods’ second DUI arrest within the last decade. In 2017, he was taken into custody, also in Jupiter Island, after taking prescription drugs and being asleep behind the wheel of a running car at 3 a.m.
In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for the entire year.
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026. (Jason Oteri/AP)
Woods made his return to competitive golf earlier this week in the TGL championship after rupturing his Achilles just before last year’s Masters (this year’s tournament is in less than two weeks). Woods has not appeared on the links since the 2024 PGA Championship, in which he missed the cut.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter
For the second time in less than a week, Luka Doncic faces a one-game suspension because of technical foul accumulation.
Only a week after Doncic’s 16th technical foul was rescinded by the NBA, the Lakers superstar picked up another one in a 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday and is in line to miss the Lakers’ next game against the Washington Wizards on Monday.
In the third quarter with the Lakers trailing by one against the lowly Nets (17-57), Doncic was called for an offensive foul against Nic Claxton as the Lakers (48-26) were trying to inbound the ball after a dunk by Ziaire Williams. After the Lakers turnover, Williams and Doncic appeared to exchange words with Doncic pushing Williams aside with one hand. Williams then flailed his arms behind him and slapped Doncic in the throat.
“He was yelling in my face three times,” said Doncic, who finished with 41 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the win. “I just wanted to get out of there. … I didn’t even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. And they said I pushed. My push was exaggerated, which was obviously not [the case].”
Both were assessed technical fouls with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter, and Williams’ hit was reviewed for a possible flagrant, although it was not upgraded.
The NBA requires players to sit out for one game without pay after their 16th technical foul of the season. But Doncic avoided that fate after the NBA rescinded the foul that would have forced him to the bench for a critical road game last week. Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers will try to appeal Doncic’s latest foul but he did not see what happened on the play.
Last week, Doncic avoided a suspension after the NBA rescinded the foul that would have forced him to the bench for a critical road game against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Doncic is slated to miss Monday’s game against the Wizards, who have lost 17 of their last 18 games and have the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference (17-56).
Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts to a referee’s call during the second half Friday against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Doncic picked up his first 16th technical foul last week against the Orlando Magic after getting into an argument with Orlando forward Goga Bitadze. Doncic claimed Bitadze directed a vulgar comment about Doncic’s family in Serbian toward the Lakers star guard. Bitadze refuted the story, saying it was actually Doncic who said the curse word out loud first and that he was only repeating what he heard.
The NBA rescinded both fouls upon review the following day.
Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, has scored 30 points or more in 12 consecutive games, the longest such streak in his career. He has 43 30-point games this season, tying Elgin Baylor and Jerry West for sixth-most in a season by a Lakers player. He has scored 40 points or more in the last 12 games.
Against the Nets, Austin Reaves finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists and LeBron James had 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
Before the game, Redick said the Nets game would be like playing on the road since the Lakers had spent almost two weeks away from Crypto.com Arena and had returned home in the wee hours of Thursday morning from Indianapolis.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves celebrates after shooting a three-pointer against the Nets in the second half Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The challenge was to find the energy to play, which wasn’t a problem for Doncic, who had 24 points in the first half. Doncic was nine for 15 from the field in the first half and four for six from three-point range in 20 minutes. He finished shooting 15 for 25 from the field as the Lakers shot 54% from the floor. They shot 44% (11 for 25) from three-point range.
That the Lakers were facing a Nets team with the second-worst record in the NBA didn’t matter.
That the Lakers were facing a Nets team had lost nine of its last 10 games didn’t matter.
That the Lakers were facing a Nets team that’s last in the league in scoring (106.3 points per game) didn’t matter.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton, left, blocks a shot by Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore in the first half Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
What mattered to the Lakers was finding a way to win as the regular season winds down.
“I felt like we were a step slow,” Redick said. “And I told the guys at halftime, ‘This is our seventh game of the road trip. Anytime you come back, there’s a day in between, that’s just you’re in another city until you can get adjusted to the time zone and you get a couple days break.’ So the next two [off] days will be good for us.”
Notes: Lakers broadcast analyst Stu Lantz missed Friday night’s game against the Nets because of health issues. Derek Fisher, who won five NBA titles with the Lakers, took over Lantz’s role for the game. Public address announcer Lawrence Tanter also missed the game because of a health matter. Jason Barquero filled in for Lantz. “The entire Lakers organization is wishing Lawrence all the best in his recovery, and we look forward to welcoming him back soon,” the team said in a statement.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Tiger Woods was involved in a car crash on Jupiter Island in Florida on Friday, according to multiple reports.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office told ESPN that the crash happened on Jupiter Island. Woods’ condition was not immediately known.
Woods competed in the TGL championship earlier this week with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, and her daughter, Kai, in the stands. It was his return to competitive golf after rupturing his Achilles last year, just ahead of the Masters.
Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club looks on before the match against the Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 23, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Adam Glanzman/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)
The 15-time major winner, five of which have come at Augusta, was noncommittal about playing at this year’s Masters. President Donald Trump said on “The Five” on Thursday that he would be at Augusta but not play.
Woods has had trouble behind the wheel in the past. In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for months.
This is a breaking story. Check back for more updates.
Where Will the Cryptocurrency XRP Be in 10 Years? | The Motley Fool
New Funding Models Needed As Global Health Faces Growing Financial Strain – Health Policy Watch
I’m a fitness writer and these are the 44 best deals I’ve found in the Amazon Big Spring Sale
Ron Brown’s movie reviews: ‘Project Hail Mary’ and more
Video: Humpback Whale Stranded Off German Coast Is Freed by Rescuers
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Dem senators dodge crucial question on illegal alien accused of killing Chicago college student
EU Parliament unblocks key political hurdle in digital euro talks
Man arrested in plot to firebomb Palestinian activist’s home after undercover op
WATCH: Senate hearing goes silent after Angel Father confronts top Dem over daughter’s death
US diplomat Marco Rubio denounces settler violence, tolls in Hormuz strait
-
Detroit, MI1 week agoDrummer Brian Pastoria, longtime Detroit music advocate, dies at 68
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago‘Youth’ Twitter review: Ken Karunaas impresses audiences; Suraj Venjaramoodu adds charm; music wins praise | – The Times of India
-
Sports7 days agoIOC addresses execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
-
New Mexico5 days agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
-
Business1 week agoDisney’s new CEO says his focus is on storytelling and creativity
-
Tennessee5 days agoTennessee Police Investigating Alleged Assault Involving ‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson
-
Technology6 days agoYouTube job scam text: How to spot it fast
-
Texas1 week agoHow to buy Houston vs. Texas A&M 2026 March Madness tickets