Alcaraz Reflects on Djokovic’s Injury and Lessons from AO Defeat

Vegas Tennis Team
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Alcaraz Reflects on Djokovic’s Injury and Lessons from AO Defeat

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Photo credit: ROLEX

The court at Rod Laver Arena stood at a pivotal moment in tennis history.

In a stunning display of resilience, a limping Novak Djokovic rallied against the odds, thwarting Carlos Alcaraz’ aspirations for glory and extending his own journey.

More: Sinner and Cahill to Part After 2025

At 37 years old, the Serbian icon defied injury, outlasting Alcaraz in a thrilling clash by a scoreline of 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, securing his place in the semifinals of the Australian Open for the 12th time.

This match marked Djokovic’s 50th major semifinal, as he aims to clinch his 100th career title, including an unparalleled 25th Grand Slam title.

Alcaraz had previously expressed to Tennis Now his ambition to win the AO in 2025, aiming for a career Grand Slam.

For now, Djokovic has dashed that dream, teaching the 21-year-old Spaniard a lesson in perseverance.

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Entering the match with an impressive 55-1 record when winning the first set of a major, Alcaraz reflected that this loss served as a vital lesson in maintaining intensity against a wounded adversary.

“Honestly, I felt in control of the match, but I let him back in,” Alcaraz admitted. “That’s the biggest error I made today.”

“In the second set, I needed to elevate my game to push him further. I noticed he was struggling to move, and I should have taken advantage of that. Instead, he found his rhythm and elevated his play. That was my biggest misstep today.”

“When Novak plays at this level, it’s incredibly challenging. I had opportunities, and it was a tight match. Most key points swung in his favor.”

The reigning Wimbledon and Roland Garros champion showed visible frustration at times, glancing at his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, while hobbling on one leg in disbelief at Djokovic’s apparent injury.

In the post-match press conference, Alcaraz chose his words carefully, mentioning that he was not accusing Djokovic of gamesmanship, yet he remarked on the stark difference in the 10-time AO champion’s movement.

“Everyone saw in the second set that he struggled with movement,” Alcaraz said. “I can’t pinpoint whether it was his forehand or backhand, but he clearly had difficulties. Yet in the third and fourth sets, he was back to his best.”

“I’m not implying he was faking. It’s just noticeable that he was limited in the second set and then bounced back well in the subsequent sets.”

In a heartfelt moment shortly after the match, former world No. 1 Andy Murray, now Djokovic’s coach, approached Alcaraz in the gym to offer words of respect while Alcaraz was cooling down after a grueling three-hour and 37-minute battle.

The four-time Grand Slam champion expressed that he views this loss as a valuable learning experience, an opportunity for growth.

“I played some fantastic matches,” Alcaraz stated. “We both pushed each other to our limits. The entire match was incredibly close.”

“I’m truly fortunate to experience this at 21. Each match like this adds to my understanding of how to manage these pressures.”

“I won’t shy away from my accomplishments so far, but facing one of the all-time greats in our sport provides crucial lessons that will help me improve in the future.”



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