The rhythm of Carlos Alcaraz It was too much for a tennis player like Novak Djokovicthat this time he failed to scare Spanish with his reaction in the second set, how he had done in the Open of Australia. The Murcian, in fullness although still with the capacity to continue growing, because he is only 22 years old, The US Open final will play After defeating the Serbian legend 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) and 6-2. He returns to the place where he conquered his first Grand Slam, in 2022, and where he became the youngest number one in history, since he can recover next Monday.
Surely if another tennis player had been on the other side of the network, it would have been a triumph with less nerves of Alcaraz, but Djokovic continues to maintain that aura that serves to defeat 80 or 90 percent of the players in the circuit, except two: Sinner and Carlos. The “old” Nole, 38, has weapons beyond the racketin his head, in knowing how to play points, when to squeeze and when not, when taking his time to get, when being aggressive and conservative … There are more than 1,100 victories in the circuit, 100 titles, 24 of them of Grand Slam … he knows them all, but it was not enough this time, although he did cause more failures in Carlos than he had in his other five games. But it did not even serve him when he put 3-0 on the second set, with a break, with the audience with which he discusses this time in favor because he saw him lower, and with the cry he hit to intimidate.
Carlos’s reaction was immediate, to give way to a partially decided in a Tie-Break dominated by Spanish. The difference between the two tennis players was remarkable when the ball was put into play. That has historically been Novak’s land, where he has managed to destroy almost all his rivals, generations of players, But with the young Murcian he ended up rough. Virtually no occasion managed to overflow it. He did defend a ball that forced the error of Spanish; He did put some parallel reverse blows as only he knows, but he went to the limit. Carlos changed the rhythm of the ball and the Serbian had to get an emergency right because he barely gave him time to prepare. Djokovic wanted to change the rhythm, and most of the time the ball ended on the network.
That was the general dynamics of the meeting, except in a while of the second set. In the first, Alcaraz started very concentrated. He removed his jacket before heating with his face very serious, more than usual, aware that that game could not escape. The smile has already come out during the most disputed points, that there were several, Like an exchange of 27 blowsthe longest he has played in New York, and that ended up losing. With an exit break, he put the encounter on the face soon and that initial set dominated him without shocks. It is still firm with the serve, after some doubts in the beginning, with a cruise speed between 200 and 210 kilometers per hour with the first, and with the effect it achieves with the second. This time, in addition, he managed to subtract a lot what came from Novak, Lesson learned from what happened in Australiawhere the open serve open was an torture for him. “I know where he will go and the failure,” he lamented that January night in Melbourne. This time, in that first game, he already put the ball twice such a kick, and the first point of the Tie-Break also decided, caught Djokovic on the climb to the network.
The hope of the player with the best palmarés in history went to take that tiebreaker, in which he had no real options. With a set to one, everything was open. With 2-0, it seemed sentenced. The presence of the physio, which treated him in his neck a problem that has already evidenced in other parties. Despite this, he managed to win. Against Carlos could not be like that. Djokovic soon fit the break in that third set and was already more stopped, without energy to look for a comeback that was impossible.
His dilemma is now what to do in the future. It has been semifinalist in all Grand Slams, fantastic numbers for anyone, but not for him. Time will continue advancing forward, against that you cannot fight, and in theory it will be increasingly difficult to overcome Alcaraz or Sinner, especially in these tournaments to five sets, in which it already arrives fatigued to the great duel. Neither in Roland Garros nor in Wimbledon, before Jannik; Neither in New York, against the Murcian, has been able to beat them a set. Carlos, on the other hand, has discovered what regularity is and seems to be comfortable in it: the last eight tournaments he has played, has reached the last game, and in the US Open he does it without giving up a set. Awesome. You already wait for the winner of Jannik Sinner-Felixauger-Aliassime.