LONDON – “All the attraction, the tension, don’t you see (baby), this is perfection?”.
Shakira sang it in 2006. Carlos Alcaraz could have danced with those lyrics, perhaps, when he was two years old. The phrase from “Hips Don’t Lie”, one of the Colombian’s most popular songs, can be used as a reference for what is expected to happen this Sunday, July 16th at Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz play for the Wimbledon title.
“I always dreamed of playing a Wimbledon final. It’s a final and I think it’s not the time to be scared or tired. I think I can win here,” the Spaniard said in the on-court interview.
Shakira watched from the front row on Centre Court. She arrived midway through the second set to witness the world number one’s class against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, which ended in a triple 6-3 triumph for the 20-year-old.
The reason the singer named that way the ultra-danceable song, was explained by herself to Women’s Health magazine: “when I’m in the studio, I know when a song is ready and it can be taken out of the oven, and it’s exactly when my hips start moving”.
“When my body reacts physically to a song, I know, if it’s a dance song, that song is done. So I used to say to my musicians, ‘my hips don’t lie! Are they moving? They’re not moving! So this is not ready.’
The one who is totally all set is Alcaraz.
“I’m ready for this,” said the Spaniard, feeding off the crowd’s affection and knowing that this Sunday’s match will be a chance of revenge with Djokovic, as it will be with himself given the precedent in Paris.
In the French Open semifinal his hips did not lie. His body didn’t lie. Because he was terrified. Because expectations carried uncontrollable nerves. Because cramps annihilated a guy who at 20 years old was supposed to be the one who was taking physical advantages. Because the mind of an inexperienced young man (although it seems that he has been on tour for many years) ended up slowing down the match that was being fascinating.
Alcaraz learned his lesson and in London, from the first time he sat in front of the media, he said he was looking forward to meeting Djokovic again.
Let the fans get ready, let the press get ready. Let the historians get ready too. Everyone will want to see what’s going to happen this Sunday.
Either Djokovic reaches the ceiling that Margaret Court imposed fifty years ago, or Alcaraz breaks Djokovic’s ten-year unbeaten streak in Centre Court, snatches the Serb’s Grand Slam dream and begins to write the end of a glorious era.
Attraction. Tension. Still don’t see it?
Maybe perfection.
