New Delhi: That cheeky attempt from Alcaraz to play on the net and plunder a point from drop shot went in vain. Djokovic was vigilant, swift, and lucid to play a forehand return for a cross-court shot. That was arguably the moment which defined the Serbian tennis star’s gumption in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open.
A year after not managing to win a single Grand Slam event, Djokovic has been the man put under pressure with the theories of his dominance fading away and that last step to surpass Margaret Court’s 24 slam events has left him grueling on the court.
But then Djokovic is man with nerves of steels, and he has done this throughout his career, ever since fighting his contemporaries Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to pip the duo for most slams before their respective retirements in 2022 and 2024.
The 37-year-old is set with task keeping the younger players at bay, perhaps some of them weren’t born or were toddlers when the Serbian made his professional debut. He embraces the challenge and has the endurance to grind anyone on the court before showcasing the classic culmination of taking the match at the deep end. On Tuesday, Alcaraz was handed a thumping defeat despite gaining the early advantage of pocketing the first set.
Djokovic has now extended their rivalry at 5-3 with the 24-Grand Slam winner in the lead. He maintained the cent percent win record on hard courts against the Spanish wonder boy, registering third win in as many matches.
Prior to this high-octane quarterfinal match, Djokovic spent around six hours on the court in the first two games to win against Nishesh Basavareddy and Jaim Faria, respectively. Both times he conceded a set but then went on to win two matches in a row with straight set victories against Tomas Machac and Jiri Lehecka.
The challenge of defeating Alcaraz was as good as going past Nadal in a knockout round. He was involved in 33-shot rally in the fourth set before squandering the momentum when he was leading at 4-2. After the match, the Serb revealed that he wished the quarterfinal was a final of the tournament. He also admitted that he would have skittled if he had lost the second set.
Novak Djokovic showcased his resilience and experience in a thrilling Australian Open quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz. Despite Alcaraz taking the first set, Djokovic’s superior endurance and strategic play secured a hard-fought win, extending his head-to-head record against the young Spaniard. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
