Smart Djokovic beating Spectacular Alcaraz is like Old Fox beating Eager Beaver
There are Greats who can win points, sets and hearts with their sparkling strokes. And then there is the Greatest who prevails over the Greats with his smart play. On Tuesday, Novak Djokovic showed Carlos Alcaraz, and the world, the difference between a Great and the Greatest.
Djokovic won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 by playing percentage tennis. For what was billed as the final before the final, the Serb chose the simple over the spectacular. Alcaraz hit the court swinging his racquet and connecting. He went for the lines and hit his targets. However, Djokovic wasn’t to be overwhelmed or get gripped by self-doubt. At 37, he seemed to know that the Spainard couldn’t sustain that tempo. He was patient, kept playing the ball deep and let his opponent make mistakes.
Alcaraz, at 21, was aiming to start 2025 by becoming the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam. He has won the US Open and French Open once, Wimbledon twice, but never the Australian Open.
The young Spaniard was in prime form, his bulging deltoids and quadriceps reminding one of his supreme fitness. He chased impossible balls and blasted them to remote corners of the court. He showed finesse too – those cheeky drop shots repeatedly foxed Djokovic. Alcaraz played entertaining tennis, hit dream shots, and easily got more applause than his senior opponent.
He's built different. 😤
Novak Djokovic prevails in a thrilling four-set quarterfinal encounter against Carlos Alcaraz! 👏@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/zRtEHAbJlA
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2025
There was a moment in the first set that gave an idea how the match would unfold. At 2-2, Alcaraz played two breathtaking shots on both sides of the court. On both occasions, the ball would kiss the lines, Djokovic returned the first but watched the other helplessly. But still he went on to win that game.
Something similar happened in the fourth set. This time more dramatically. With Djokovic leading 4-3, Alcaraz seemed set to break and level the score. Another U-turn in the match seemed on the cards. The two master baseliners were involved in a 22-shot rally but the younger player won that point. This could have been the perfect turning point in the match. Older players, after such points, often give up as they are physically exhausted. But the depth of Djokovic’s reserves are unexplored. After being on the circuit for close to two decades, it remains modern tennis’ biggest mystery. Djokovic, after the long rally, would gather himself to play more safe shots to lead 5-3. After that game, it seemed it was Alcaraz who gave up as Djokovic took the set 6-4 to seal the contest.
There were interesting sub-plots to this match. Had Alcaraz won this closely-fought contest, a lot would have been written about his drop shot that got him many points. There were a number of occasions when the Spainard would look to be readying for a furious forehand but at the last minute, would slow down his hand, carve the air and play a drop shot.
This one time in the first set, Djokovic would stumble and fall close to the net as he lunged to reach the drop. It seemed like he had twisted his ankle, he would move around gingerly. Many feared he might retire. Alcaraz would lose rhythm as he tried to exploit Djokovic’s slow movement on the baseline. The Serb would take a break and like so many times before, return to the court as a changed man – from crawling like a crab, he was running like a hare. Old fox got the better of eager beaver. .
Djokovic showed why he has won more tennis matches than anyone ever. There were very few of those ‘wow’ strokes – the kind that make broadcasters aim the cameras around the stadium to capture fans giving a standing ovation. The GOAT might not have played memorable strokes but he had played an unforgettable match. Alcaraz wanted his first Australian Open but as luck would have it, had to deal with someone who had 10.
The draw said this was a quarter-final but for those at the venue ‘quarter’ was silent. There is World No.1 Jannik Sinner in the other half but the kind of confidence that Djokovic would have got after winning this epic duel would make him believe that he can even walk on water. The engravers shouldn’t waste time, they should etch Djokovic for the 11th time on the silverware, Melbourne this weekend should get ready for the 25th.
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