Ben Pawlowski
WHERE were you on July 14, 2024?
If you are a Spaniard, or an expat living in Spain, it will likely be a date that lives long in the memory, regarded as one of the nation’s finest hours, at least in a sporting sense.
A trio of sensational victories covering the old and new of Spain’s sensational sporting stars ensured that July 14, 2024 will forever be immortalised as Super Sunday.
The day started at SW19 in London with Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Murcia-born tennis maestro, clashing with Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon men’s singles final.
Pundits viewed the game as a changing of the guard moment after Alcaraz brutally smashed Djokovic, universally regarded as one of the greatest to ever pick up a racket, in straight sets.
Relying on a fiercely powerful serve and a magnificent forehand, Alcaraz relentlessly grounded the 37-year-old Serb into the ground to ensure he regained his Wimbledon crown and secured a fourth Grand Slam title.
Later on, Sergio Garcia claimed his first win in four years at LIV Golf Andalucia, securing a €4 million payout after finishing on five-under-par at Valderrama Golf Club.
Prior to his final round, the 2017 Masters champion was teased by Brooks Koepka, the American golf star, who turned up to the first tee in an England football shirt.
Koepka, who was playing with Garcia and fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm, was booed by hoards of Spanish supporters who chanted ‘Viva España’.
Alcaraz had also been booed earlier in the week after cheekily teasing the Wimbledon crowd ahead of the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England.
Kicking off at 9pm in Berlin’s Olympiastadion, La Roja secured a record-breaking fourth European Championship crown as England fell at the final hurdle once again, three years after losing to Italy on penalties.
Spain had entered the game as favourites and were widely regarded as the tournament’s best side, having eased past the so-called ‘Group of Death’, hosts Germany and 2018 World Cup winners and pre-tournament favourites France on the way to the showpiece finale in the German capital.
Relying on a youthful attack spearheaded by the 17-year-old wonderkid Lamine Yamal, who celebrated his birthday on Saturday, Spain dominated possession before Nico Williams, the 21-year-old winger, opened the scoring.
England levelled through Cole Palmer, but Mikel Oyarzabal prodded home the winner with four minutes to go to spark jubilant scenes which lasted long into the night as Spain reflected on a day which undoubtedly wrote itself into the history books.
