The curious case of Carlos Alcaraz
We mentioned him last week, it seems fitting we go deeper now: Carlos Alcaraz, then the #1 ranked tennis player in the world, was a clear favorite in his semi-final bout against veteran Novak Djokovic for a shot at the French Open crown — but sadly missed that opportunity. Djokovic went on to win a record breaking 23rd Grand Slam title, finally moving past both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Could it have unfolded differently?
After almost two decades of (male) tennis domination by the so-called “Big three” (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic), these past few years have finally see emerge new players that could arguably equal if not surpass their elders. Stefanos Tsitsipas is one; French Open double finalist Casper Ruud is one; Carlos Alcaraz, US Open winner and 3-time #1 ranked player in the world, is definitely one. By many accounts, that Spaniard is a remarkable outlier: extremely powerful, equally quick, highly focused, he possesses all the key qualities needed in tennis, and then some. The youngest ever top ranked player in the world, he has been increasingly blowing away audiences with the quality of his game.
Then came Roland Garros 2023, a chance to fully display his talent: Nadal, the reigning champ, was out due to a nasty injury; Federer had retired; the only “Big Three” rep left was Serbia’s pride, Novak Djokovic, and he was not at the top of his game. Both players happened to be in the same half of the draw, so they were due to meet in the semi-finals, provided both reached them. And indeed they did, and indeed that semi-final took place. And it did not entirely unfold the way people had anticipated…
Djokovic was not at his best on that day, but neither was Alcaraz: for a player usually so fluid and quick, he made quite a few tactical mistakes early on that showed he was actually nervous, likely conscious of the significance of this encounter. He made a number of unforced errors too, without quite providing the power he had accustomed the world, therefore never being able to control the game — save for a few incredible shots that will still likely go down in history…
After a hard fought second set in Alcaraz’s favor, the nervousness of the guy truly became evident: a few games into the third set, this incredibly physical player started having debilitating cramps, likely brought about by the heat and fatigue after a 12-day tournament… but also quite clearly by nerves. Being tense while running around at high speed and shooting cannons in the sun will do that to the best of athletes. The rest of the game was not a nice watch: once Alcaraz was diminished, a resilient Djokovic started expediting the proceedings. 4 sets and quite a few breaks in, he achieved his objective: beat the rising star and reach the finals for a 23rd Grand Slam win. Which is exactly what happened a couple of days later: Djokovic now stands as the statistically undisputed king of Open era tennis.
What is to be learned from this interesting episode?
Never underestimate Novak Djokovic. The man is a machine: we knew it before, it is all but confirmed now. He will retire an indomitable force of nature, possessing a level of resilience only seen in a handful of true icons, the Michael Jordans and Floyd Mayweathers of this world.
A key reason Djokovic is indeed a machine has nothing to do with physicality: the difference between a highly favored 20-year old Alcaraz and a slower 36-year old Djokovic was precisely age — as in, experience. The Serbian champion was playing his 45th Grand Slam semi-final, he had seen every scenario under the sun (literally), had fought everyone, had already stood in those shoes. Alcaraz had not: being so young, he is still experiencing many career touchpoints for the first time, and this particular occasion was a truly monumental one to face. The weight of that he simply could not shake…
Alcaraz can still be king. Missing a game at that stage in a player’s career is no big deal, no matter the circumstances. The Spaniard can absolutely become the new reigning champ in tennis, especially once Djokovic is out of the picture — and that day will have to come. However, he will only get there if he truly grasps the experience games such as this one represent…