May 7, 2022, at the foot of the Madrid Masters 1000 final, Carlos Alcaraz challenges Novak Djokovic. After 3h36 of arm wrestling, the Spaniard defeats the world No. 1 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/5). After beating Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals, he became the first player to successively beat the Spanish and Serbian legends on clay. Against Djokovic, Alcaraz tried a lot that day (51 winning points to 24), took risks (57 unforced errors to 31). Placed on the rails of an ambitious game plan that he respected to the letter even in the most tense moments, he took away the regularity and experience of Djokovic. The world belongs to him.
Toni Nadal, Rafael’s first coach, writes in El País: “For years I have expressed my concern about the void that, probably, my nephew would leave in our sport when he retired. Now I am convinced that this gap will be completely filled. For the Spanish fans, continuity is assured…” In the wake of his resounding match, Carlos Alcaraz will straddle Alexander Zverev in the final to make the tournament unforgettable.
Before the reunion, this Friday on the Philippe Chatrier court, Novak Djokovic, who has not forgotten anything of the only match played against the Spaniard in Madrid in 2022, assures: “He is very friendly, he behaves well on and off the courts. short. He brings a lot of intensity to matches. He reminds me of someone who plays well with the left hand in his country. He deserves his achievements, there is no doubt about it. He works tirelessly. He’s a complete player.” If Carlos Alcaraz prefers to forget the previous one, he summarizes: “Since the draw, everyone has been waiting for this match, the semi-final against Novak, me too. I really want to play this game. Since last year, I wanted to face Novak again. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. I look forward to this game to fully enjoy it. For me, it’s incredible to write history, to play the semi-final against a player like Novak. It will be a great match.”
