By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Centre Court Wimbledon was famously called "a tennis cathedral" by seven-time Wimbledon winner Pete Sampras.

Lately, Novak Djokovic has controlled the most prestigious patch of grass in the game with the comfort of a man patrolling his backyard.

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Four-time defending Wimbledon winner Djokovic has won 38 straight Centre Court matches and will arrive at SW19 as a strong favorite to capture his eighth Wimbledon crown.



World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz aims to snap Djokovic's streak armed with vocal allies—Centre Court fans.

"I felt the love from the people since day one, and for me it's really, really important I hope in Wimbledon to feel the same energy, the same love that I felt during this week," Alcaraz said after capturing his maiden grass-court championship at Queen's Club on Sunday. "You know, I hope it will help me, you know, to get through the rounds in Wimbledon.

"But I saw as well that Djokovic has never lost a match in the Centre Court since 2013 when he lost against Andy."



The US Open champion aims to snap Djokovic's dominance on Centre Court with a little help from his friends in the stands.

"It's 10 years [for Novak] without losing a match in the Centre Court of Wimbledon," Alcaraz said. "So it's been crazy, but I hope to have the crowd behind me to have chances to change that statistics."

Of course, Djokovic, riding a 28-match Wimbledon winning streak into his title defense, will have his share of supporters too.

“I lost words for what this tournament and trophy means to me—it always has been and will be the most special tournament in my heart the one that motivated men and inspired me to play tennis,” Djokovic told Centre Court fans after his 38th straight Centre Court victory over Nick Kyrgios last July. “In a small little mountain resort in Serbia where my parents used to run the restaur—after ant I was 4-and-a-half, 5-years-old I saw Pete Sampras win his first Wimbledon in ‘92 and I asked my dad and mom to buy me a racquet.

“My first image of tennis was grass and Wimbledon. I always dreamed of coming here and just playing on this court. Just realizing a childhood dream of winning this trophy every time it gets more and more meaningful and special and so I’m very blessed and thankful to be standing here with the trophy.”

Undefeated on Centre Court since 2013, the 35-year-old Djokovic became the second-oldest man in the Open Era to win the Wimbledon singles title—after Big 3 rival Roger Federer, who won The Championships in 2017 aged 35 years 342 days.

Djokovic can break that record—and move closer to the calendar Grand Slam—by defending his Wimbledon championship next month.

Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport