May 7, 2022, at the foot of the final of the Masters 1000 in Madrid, Carlos Alcaraz challenges Novak Djokovic. After 3h36 of arm wrestling, the Spaniard defeated the world No. 1 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/5). After beating Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals, he became the first player to beat the Spanish and Serbian legends successively on clay. Against Djokovic, Alcaraz tried a lot that day (51 winning points to 24), took risks (57 direct faults to 31). Laid on the rails of an ambitious game plan that he respected to the letter even in the most tense moments, he took away Djokovic's consistency and experience. The world belongs to him.
To discover
- Roland Garros Men's Singles
- Roland Garros Women's Singles
" READ ALSO Tennis: at 20 years, Alcaraz ahead of Nadal
Toni Nadal, Rafael's first coach, wrote in El País: "For years I 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 step over 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 about the only match played against the Spaniard in Madrid in 2022, assures: "He is very friendly, he behaves well on and off the courts. He brings a lot of intensity during the matches. He reminds me of someone who plays well with his left hand in his country. He deserves his successes, there is no doubt about that. He works hard. 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 match. Since last year, I wanted to face Novak again. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. I'm looking forward to this match to enjoy it fully. For me, it's incredible to make history, to play the semi-final against a player like Novak. It will be a great game.
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