Carlos Alcaraz, who will turn 21 in May, has already established himself as one of the most successful active players in the tennis world. With two Major titles and four Masters 1000 trophies under his belt, Alcaraz’s achievements speak for themselves. Guided by former world no. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos is deeply passionate about the sport and constantly strives to improve, pushing his game to new heights.
Despite his impressive track record, Alcaraz has faced his fair share of challenges. Following a couple of tough losses against top-ranked opponents, his desire to chase notable titles remains unwavering. One such defeat came at last year’s ATP Finals, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals with a score of 6-3, 6-2. Carlos couldn’t hide his emotions and was visibly upset by his performance, which paled in comparison to Djokovic’s exceptional level of play. In just under an hour and a half, Djokovic secured his place in the final, marking his ninth appearance at this prestigious event. The match showcased a battle between two of the world’s finest players, with the more experienced Djokovic leaving the young gun miles behind, largely thanks to his incredible returns.
Despite serving at an impressive 84%, Carlos couldn’t convert his strong serves into winning points, losing his serve three times and ultimately ending his first ATP Finals run in the semi-finals. Novak managed to avoid an early upset by holding his serve in the match’s opening game, putting pressure on Carlos from the very beginning.
Alcaraz made a promising start, hitting a backhand down the line winner in the opening game and earning two break points. However, Djokovic remained composed, saving those break points and ultimately winning the game with an ace. Carlos responded with a forehand winner in the second game and held his serve well in the following games, bringing the score to a 2-2 tie. The fifth game saw a couple of deuces before Novak held his serve with two winners, taking a 3-2 lead. Both players continued to serve well in the next few games, but Djokovic displayed his strength on the return at 4-3.
Unfortunately for Alcaraz, he made a costly error with a loose backhand, losing his serve and allowing the world no. 1 to take a 5-3 lead. Novak served for the set in the ninth game and effortlessly held his serve with an ace, closing out the first set in just 40 minutes. This victory provided Djokovic with a much-needed boost of confidence as he prepared for the second set.
In the third game of the second set, the Spaniard squandered several game points, leading to a crucial break that brought him closer to defeat. Djokovic solidified his lead with a comfortable hold in the fourth game and had another opportunity to break Alcaraz’s serve at 3-1. However, Carlos managed to save those break points and bring the game to a close, keeping the deficit to just one break. Determined to stay competitive, Alcaraz unleashed a volley winner in the sixth game and earned two break opportunities.
Despite his efforts, Djokovic swiftly erased those break chances with winners of his own, ultimately winning four consecutive points and securing a crucial hold that put him ahead 4-2. In the seventh game, Djokovic forced Alcaraz into making a mistake and created two more break chances. Although the young gun managed to save the first two, he faltered with a wayward forehand on the third, resulting in another break for Djokovic and a 5-2 deficit for Alcaraz. In the eighth game, Novak confidently served for the win, holding his serve at 15 and emerging victorious over his closest rival, thus setting the stage for a title clash against Jannik Sinner.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org