Djokovic, 36, outlasts Alcaraz, 20, at Roland Garros

Before the match, Carlos Alcaraz, age 20, began by jumping up and down at the net to show off his younger legs. 

Novak Djokovic, age 36, wasn’t intimidated. He knew he could rely on his stamina, patience, experience and his ability to take the down the legs of his opponents.

The old master Djokovic schooled Alcaraz in the first set. He broke Alcaraz to go up 3-1 by pummeling his forehand corner. Djokovic shrugged off break points, let wind gusts pass, used a topspin first serve to fool Carlitos on big points, and won the first set 6-3. 

Taking the ball early, Djokovic’s baseline position took away Alcaraz’s biggest weapon — his drop shot. Djokovic maneuvered Alcaraz around the baseline into his weaker forehand corner, and then he repeatedly wrongfooted Carlitos to take away his speed.

In the second set, Djokovic seemed tentative and bothered by his right arm injury. He missed several opportunities to win the mini-tennis battles, and his forehand misfired. 

The shotmaking by #Alcaraz was out of this world, but Djokovic continued to serve out of trouble, saving 3 set points. He forced a forehand error out of Carlitos to even the set at 5-5. Djokovic overcooked a backhand on break point and Carlos managed to hold a nervy game to go ahead 6-5. Then, Alcaraz spun a dropshot off the line, and Djokovic overhit a forehand to give Alcaraz the second set 7-5.

“We were both pushed to the limit after the second set,” Djokovic said after the match. 

Early in the third set, Djokovic’s strategy paid off. Alcaraz’s body broke down. He cramped up in his arm and then his right leg. He forfeited a game to get treatment, and never really returned to his previous form and energy level. Djokovic pumped himself up to maintain his level and ran away with the last two sets. 

Alcaraz, who came into the French Open ranked #1, later blamed his cramps on the tension and intensity of playing his first slam match against 22-time champion Djokovic. In the end, Djokovic won because of his experience and conditioning. While Djokovic schooled him on the day, Alcaraz seems willing to learn.

“I feel sorry for him,” said Djokovic after the match. “I hope he can recover and come back very soon. He’s going to win this tournament many many times.”

But not this time. Djokovic seems determined to win his 23rd major, which would put him ahead of Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and every other player in men’s tennis history.

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