Before the commencement of the Nitto ATP Finals, Carlos Alcaraz was not in his best form. He had endured a few demoralising losses after the US Open and that scenario was compounded by his first group-stage match loss to Alexander Zverev.
However, as with any elite professional’s knack of bouncing back from the depths of doom, the 20-year-old trounced his opponents in his next two matches to seal a semi-final date with Novak Djokovic. After much hype surrounding a reunion of the two rivals, Djokovic defeated Alcaraz in straight sets, leaving the disappointed Spaniard with a few words of hope.
Alcaraz reveals motivation after Djokovic loss
After the Serb defeated Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2 in under an hour and a half, the Wimbledon champion cut a sullen figure at the press conference. He has had a history of shifting from upbeat comments on his success to downright damning declarations on his losses during interviews. However, this discussion centred around his successful journey and plans for the future.
A Nitto ATP Finals knockout qualification is no easy feat and Alcaraz talked about his ambitions in the sport during the press conference instead of delving into the defeat.
“I want to beat him[Djokovic]. I am an ambitious guy, I want to be the best in the history of the sport,” Alcaraz declared.
If the end of 2022 saw the rise of Carlos Alcaraz, then 2023 showcased his consistency at the elite level of tennis and his hunger to achieve bigger accolades than he has secured for himself.
His rivalry with Novak Djokovic has enthralled viewers by providing ample doses of high-quality entertainment. The pair have played five matches overall, four this year alone. Alcaraz’s biggest win was his Wimbledon final victory over Djokovic, but the Serb has responded in style by clinching the other 3.
The 36-year-old was in awe of his latest victory over Alcaraz and reacted to the match by labelling it a spectacle and appreciating his opponent.
Djokovic reacts to Alcaraz match
Novak Djokovic had little to complain about after his triumph and called it the “best match of the year” in a statement that effused celebration of his achievement and appreciation of Alcaraz’s game.
“One of the best matches of the year in these circumstances playing probably the biggest rival I had this year, Carlos. We had some epic matches. Actually, all three matches we played this year were marathon matches that went the distance,” Djokovic said.
This match was in stark contrast to their previous meeting in the Cincinnati Open finals which lasted three hours and 49 minutes. That meeting in the US paved the way for Djokovic to reclaim the world No.1 ranking from Carlos Alcaraz and this win has cemented his already-sealed status as year-end No.1.
Djokovic also brushed aside the media’s notion that Alcaraz mirrored Rafael Nadal’s abilities and talked about his satisfaction with how the season has fared for him and his expectations of Sunday’s final against Jannik Sinner.
“Ended up the year as No. 1 in the world, reached really all the objectives that I had, broke many records, made history of the sport. Of course, I’m thrilled with the season,” Djokovic said. “But one more match to go. Hopefully I can crown the season with another win.”
What are your opinions on Carlos Alcaraz’s statements after his loss to Novak Djokovic? Let us know in the comments section below.
