Tennis fans across the world got their wishes as Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic set up a blockbuster French Open semifinal, to be played on Friday. Below is a lowdown about how they got there.
Djokovic is eyeing a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title and a return to No. 1 spot in the rankings.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, at 20 is chasing his second major title, following his US Open success last year, and a win on Friday would further consolidate his position as the world no. 1.
One of them is a veteran, who has been a part of the elite Big three that has dominated the sport over the last two decades, the other is a mightily talented youngster who has not only wowed with his skills and athleticism, but has also answered the question that everyone’s been asking for the last five years: “What after the Big Three era?”
The semifinal is surely going to be an entertaining fixture between two of the best in the business. Read our preview to the Alcaraz v Djokovic semifinal here.
Had Rafael Nadal been around, the focus would have been on the king of clay, but the Spaniard withdrew from his favourite tournament this year due to an injury and is now recovering from a surgery.
His absence automatically put the focus on this matchup. Ever since the draw was out, this has been the most anticipated contest and both have shown qualities of a champion so far.
The way Alcaraz decimated the 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinal speaks volumes about his superiority over the very best of the newer generation.
Djokovic, meanwhile, was stretched to four sets for the first time in the tournament by his quarterfinal opponent Karen Khachanov, but the Serb clawed his way back after dropping the opener and got better as the match progressed to end the world no. 11’s resistance.
It was probably a challenge that the two-time Roland Garros champion needed ahead of his clash with the red-hot Alcaraz.
How Alcaraz Got to the French Open 2023 Semifinal:
- 1st Round: Flavio Cobolli 6-0, 6-2, 7-5
- 2nd Round: Taro Daniel 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
- 3rd Round: Denis Shapovalov 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
- 4th Round: Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
- Quarterfinal: Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (5)
How Djokovic Got to the French Open 2023 Semifinal:
- 1st Round: Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (1)
- 2nd Round: Marton Fucsovics 7-6 (2), 6-0, 6-3
- 3rd Round: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-2
- 4th Round: Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
- Quarterfinal: Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-4
The two have played just one match before and that was a dramatic three-set semifinal in Madrid last year, which saw Alcaraz fight back from a set down to end Djokovic’s challenge in the tournament.
Read more about the first time that Djokovic & Alcaraz faced off here.