News
Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic to win Wimbledon men’s title
Carlos Alcaraz won the Wimbledon men’s singles title for the first time by ending Novak Djokovic’s recent dominance with a stunning victory.
Spain’s Alcaraz, 20, fought back from a nervy start to win 1-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 against the defending champion. Djokovic was going for a fifth straight win, an eighth men’s triumph and a 24th major – all record-equalling feats. But the 36-year-old Serb was outlasted by top seed Alcaraz, who underlined his class by winning a second major title.
“It is a dream come true for me,” Alcaraz, who was playing in only his fourth grass-court tournament, said. “Even if I lost, I would have been proud of myself. To be able to play in these stages of these occasions – as a boy of 20 years old – is really fast. “I’m really proud of myself.”
Alcaraz, who won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open last year, celebrated by falling flat on his face after taking his first match point and kicking a ball into the crowd.
The majority of a packed Centre Court, which included the Prince and Princess of Wales, actor Brad Pitt and two-time winner Andy Murray, rose to their feet to acclaim the All England Club’s newest champion.
As tradition now dictates, Alcaraz ran up the stairs from the court to his box and embraced coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, along with his family and friends.
Alcaraz is the third youngest man to win the Wimbledon title in the Open era after 17-year-old Boris Becker in 1985 and 20-year-old Bjorn Borg in 1976.
“You never like to lose matches like this but I guess when all the emotions are settled I have to still be very grateful,” said 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who broke down in tears during his on-court speech. “I won many tough matches here. Maybe I have won a couple of finals I should have lost so maybe this is even-steven. “It is a tough one to swallow when you are so close. I lost to a better player, I have to congratulate him, and move on – stronger hopefully.”
Fantastic final proves to be a feast
Before an eagerly anticipated men’s final between the top two seeds, Djokovic further ramped up the excitement by predicting a “feast” between a pair with equally “hungry” appetites for success.
A compelling contest – full of quality, drama and momentum swings – lived up to the hype.
The pair have been two of the leading players on the ATP Tour this year and jostled for position as the world number one. Djokovic won the Australian Open and French Open this year to move ahead of Rafael Nadal’s tally of 22 major titles, knowing another victory would equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 victories. At the opposite end of the career scale, Alcaraz was aiming to prove not all of the younger generation can be overawed by Djokovic’s greatness.
The Spaniard had already been dealt a chastening experience when facing Djokovic, having suffered body cramps during their French Open semi-final last month because he was so overcome by nerves.
One of the plotlines going into the Wimbledon final centred on Alcaraz’s state of mind.
Alcaraz was confident that fear was out of his system going into Sunday’s showpiece – but that did not look to be the case in a one-sided first set, which Djokovic won after just 34 minutes.
Djokovic suffocated his opponent with his deep and consistent returning, forcing Alcaraz into hurrying his shots and making too many mistakes. Alcaraz slowly grew into the contest, finding more rhythm with his groundstrokes and introducing an increasing number of the drop shots for which he is becoming known.
After turning the deficit into a lead, helped by edging a mammoth 27-minute game early in the third set, Alcaraz produced two loose errors at a crucial time in the fourth and Djokovic went on to level. However, Alcaraz’s composure returned in the decider. He broke for a 2-1 lead which led to Djokovic smashing his racquet on the net post and, continuing to play with power and variety, served out a stunning victory after four hours and 42 minutes.
(BBC Sports)
As part of the official visit to London for the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, held discussions with academic experts from the British Council on Wednesday [20 May 2026].
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in education, particularly in the areas of teacher training, English language programmes, education frameworks, and language acquisition skills.
The British Council shared international experience and highlighted its ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, while expressing readiness to support the country through technical assistance, teacher development initiatives, and policy collaboration.
Discussions also included views on improving quality assurance, expanding research collaboration, and enhancing learning opportunities.
The Prime Minister appreciated the British Council’s continued engagement in Sri Lanka and reiterated the importance of deepening partnerships.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, met with members of the Sri Lankan community living in London on Wednesday [20th] and engaged in cordial discussions.
Despite the event being held on a weekday, it was notable that nearly one thousand Sri Lankans representing the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities attended with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that despite natural disasters and international crises, the present government has succeeded in stabilizing the country’s economy while providing relief to the people. She further noted that Sri Lanka’s political culture has now undergone a positive transformation that is irreversible.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, addressing the event, stated that a governance system has now been established in the country where all communities are treated equally and the benefits of economic development are shared fairly among all citizens.
Moving away from the traditional method of political gatherings, the event also provided an open platform for members of the Sri Lankan community to directly raise questions and express their views to the Prime Minister and the Minister.
Commenting on the organization of the event, the organizing committee stated that all expenses, including dinner, were borne by the participants themselves. The organizers further remarked that it is unsurprising that opposition groups, accustomed to organizing such events through the misuse of public funds, appear unsettled by this transparent process.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya currently undertaking an official visit to London, United Kingdom, to participate in the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026 held a bilateral meeting with the Yvette Cooper MP, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom ON Wednesday [20]. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, along with officials from the Sri Lankan High Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation to the United Kingdom for the support extended in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa, including ongoing rebuilding and recovery assistance. The Prime Minister also commended the United Kingdom’s support in facilitating increased bilateral trade and exports for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister briefed the UK delegation on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and policy priorities, the Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and reconciliation, as well as Sri Lanka’s positive growth trajectory.
The two sides also exchanged views on current global geopolitical developments, challenges in the energy sector, and the importance of enhancing regional connectivity and long-term energy security.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening structured academic mobility frameworks while ensuring fairness, clarity, and integrity within migration systems.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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