9
Carlos Crushed By The Djokovic Torture Chamber
3 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
It should not have been a surprise to see Carlos Alcaraz’s body suddenly hit the wall early in the third set when his right leg seemed to stiffen and/or cramp up.
Alcaraz was playing like the dynamo he is and even beyond what anyone could expect against the greatest champion of tennis history Novak Djokovic. The 20 year old was flying all over the court unleashing jaw dropping shots everywhere. For two sets it was tennis at the absolute pinnacle and even more.
Both were hitting rockets and moving each other all over the court, it was fascinating to see this high level tennis being played by two ultimate champions. Every shot was high pressure high quality. Both seemed to be operating near their limits and daring to take risks with drop shots and Djokovic with several serve and volleys.
Despite the high stress tennis, both were perfect sportsman, Carlos smiled several times and Djokovic applauded a miracle crazy winner after it whizzed by him. The action was escalating as the match evolved.
When Djokovic saved the three sets points at 4-5 to level at 5-5 in the second, even former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson jumped out of his front row seat and raised his arms to celebrate and urge on his favorite player. But Carlos matched and then raised the magic of Novak and won the next two games in style. The third set would be even more drama and stress.
And then the cramps came in the beginning of the third set. And we realized Carlos is human and at age 20 he’s still not fit enough and calm enough to sustain his best level for four or five sets.
Tennys Sandgren, who shared a tennis court with Djokovic four times (0-4), observed today after the match: “Matching Novak in three out of five sets takes you out to the deep water. If you don’t find the balance point of calm intensity, you’ll drown… Never underestimate the physical toll of nerves. Alcaraz had an unfamiliar amount in that first set.”
In my book Facing Novak Djokovic, Sandgren described what it’s like to play Djokovic: “We try to hit a winner, while he places a ball in difficult areas, where it is impossible to surprise him. He suffocates you slowly. What he does is just incredible.”
It’s no shame for Carlos to lose to King Novak today 63 57 61 61, some of the Djokovic genius surely rubbed off on him and he will be the better for it in the future. Today for two sets Carlos showed another brilliant display of the spectacular tennis only he can produce and there will surely be many many more even finer performances in the future.
Now Djokovic advances to the final where he will play Zverev or Ruud to try to win Grand Slam number 23. Djokovic is 7-4 career vs Zverev and 4-0 vs Ruud.
The Djokovic torture chamber claimed another victim today, a surreal devastating experience which has caused the doom of many including Federer.
(Andres Bella art)
Carlos Alcaraz · Novak Djokovic · Roland Garros
Scoop Malinowski · June 9, 2023 at 8:23 pm
A boxing memory I have of childhood was watching on TV a title fight and the announcer Gil Clancy noting the challenger said he was in “the best shape of his life” but he was showing signs of being tired in just the third round. Clancy said the fighter may have been creating the illusion of being tired to he had his excuse for losing the fight. “He could say he lost because he was tired, not because the other fighter was better.”
I’m not sure Carlos didn’t do the same thing today. He felt the pressure in that second set from Novak and then created the illusion of cramps so he could say he lost because of cramps. Not because Djokovic was superior. I can’t rule this out. Carlos has done this before, remember he quit the US Open night match vs Felix.
Scoop Malinowski · June 9, 2023 at 8:58 pm
Carlos: “It’s not easy to play Novak he is a legend of our sport, it was really tough for me I’ve never felt tension like I did in this match. The tension of the match is why I started cramping, my whole body started to cramp.”
Sam · June 10, 2023 at 3:03 pm
He felt the pressure in that second set from Novak and then created the illusion of cramps so he could say he lost because of cramps. Not because Djokovic was superior. I can’t rule this out.
Scoop, I didn’t see the match or anything. Did it look to you like Carlos was actually cramping?