In a thrilling encounter at the Australian Open on Tuesday, Novak Djokovic overcame rising star Carlos Alcaraz with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. The match, worthy of a championship final, saw the 37-year-old Serbian showcase his experience and resilience against the 21-year-old Spaniard.
This victory propels Djokovic into his record-setting 50th Grand Slam semi-final, keeping his quest for a historic 25th Grand Slam title alive. Reflecting on the intense match, Djokovic expressed, “I wish this match today was the final. It’s just one of the most epic matches that I’ve played on this court, on any court, really. So thank you all for staying at 1 a.m. to watch us and support the players.”
Alcaraz started strong, taking the opening set after breaking Djokovic’s serve twice. However, Djokovic regained composure, even after a medical timeout for his left thigh. “The medication started to kick in, and they helped,” Djokovic revealed. “If I lost that second set, I don’t know if I would continue playing, but I felt better and better.”
With renewed energy, Djokovic increased his aggression in the second set, utilizing sharp net play and powerful groundstrokes to turn the tide. Despite Alcaraz’s efforts, including winning a grueling 33-shot rally in the fourth set, Djokovic’s experience proved decisive as he sealed the match.
Djokovic now faces German second seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals. While Alcaraz’s bid to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam is temporarily halted, the young talent’s future in tennis remains incredibly promising.
Reference(s):
Djokovic quells Alcaraz challenge to reach Australian Open semis
cgtn.com
