At the French Open, the two top favorites meet in the semifinals. There is a generational duel between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz summed it up. “This is the game everyone wants to see”, said the world number one late Tuesday night on Court Philippe Chatrier, where he meets Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the French Open on Friday. It is the match between two top favorites – and the long-awaited generational duel between the 20-year-old Spaniard and the 16-year-old Serb.
“I’m really looking forward to this match and I’m going to enjoy it. It’s great to play against a legend like Novak in a semi-final.”Alcaraz said politely and appeared self-confident about the big task: “If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.” A statement that Djokovic had made almost congruently a few hours earlier in the well-attended press room in Roland Garros.
Only a direct duel
The ultimate hurdle now awaits the Grand Slam record winner: “It’s definitely the biggest challenge for me in this tournament so far. He’s the player to beat here.” A feat that Djokovic has not yet succeeded in his illustrious career. Alcaraz narrowly won the only duel between the two unequal opponents last year.
Maybe a first taste, because in men’s tennis, Djokovic also knows that a new era is slowly but surely dawning – the “Big Three” are history. Roger Federer has ended his career, the long-term injured Rafael Nadal plans to do so in the coming year, at the moment only Djokovic is holding the flag high. US Open winner Alcaraz has everything he needs to become the new dominator in the future.
Djokovic compares Alcaraz to Nadal
When it comes to Djokovic, however, that can wait. For his adversary, who, like Djokovic, is in impressive form these days, he is still full of praise – and made a flattering comparison: “He brings a lot of intensity to the court and with that he reminds me of someone from his country who is left-handed.”said the Serb, referring to Paris record winner Nadal.
The same Nadal that Djokovic wants to surpass with his 23rd Grand Slam title in the all-time record list. But first he has to beat Alcaraz. Unsurprisingly, his greatest weapon in this endeavor is experience. “It will be his 45th semi-final at a Grand Slam, for me it’s the second”, Alcaraz stated soberly. However, he hopes that his “Youth” will be more crucial.