Tennis, Masters 1000 Madrid: Alcaraz also beats Djokovic after 3 and a half hours, it’s the final

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Madrid, of course, has given it its own. Helping Alcaraz throughout the afternoon to the rhythm of “yes, if puede”. An emblematic chorus also for the description of the match. From the beginning, in fact, Alcaraz had shown that he could have an equal match. The break at the opening in fact had immediately triggered the alarm of Djokovic, able from that moment and throughout the first set to bring out a dominant performance in the service, an authentic key to shooting the first set. After going immediately below, in fact, Nole conceded a total of 2 points in his batting rounds from there to the tie-break closed for 7 points to 5 that gave him the first set. A big blow to the ambitions of many. Probably almost all of them. But not by Carlos Alcaraz.

Il little boy reacted with the attitude of the phenomenon, starting again, from the beginning of the second set, to respond better and to play his own tennis. From there a point-to-point battle of the highest tennis quality did not come out. An all-out fight with straight accelerations for Alcaraz and good responses for Djokovic, short balls for the Spaniard and skilful transitions for the Serbian. A tight, balanced, beautiful match; prolonged by a splendid twelfth game by Alcaraz in the second set and brought, as it is, to the tie-break of the third set. It was in the final game, however, that the Spaniard, if possible, impressed even more. When the points are made even heavier, when the pressure of having to play with a legend like Djokovic, especially in these situations, had the whole 19-year-old from Murcia on his shoulders. Even when Nole, on 4-5 and serve, canceled Alcaraz’s first match point with a relentless ace. That’s where Alcaraz’s main quality came out, that he played those points exactly as he faced everyone else: without any fear.

Alcaraz thus imposed himself with enormous merit in the decisive tie-break, closing, this time himself, by 7 points to 5. And giving himself the second final 1000 of the season out of 4 Masters played so far. Already champion in Miami, Alcaraz now awaits one between Tsitsipas and Zverev. For another match that promises a show.

E Djokovic?

Well, Djokovic is back. All the unknowns have also fallen here. The Serbian can still grow from the point of view of his physical condition – in the final on a few short balls he gasped a bit – and in his performance in response. But he certainly resumed the high road that will lead him to the first real goal of 2022: Paris. Aware that, at Roland Garros, besides Nadal, he will have another Spaniard to watch out for. Perhaps, at this moment, even more dangerous: Carlitos Alcaraz. The new phenomenon of the world racket.