Alcaraz downs Djokovic to storm to Madrid final
After stunning Rafael Nadal yesterday, Carlos Alcaraz found extraordinary resolve to defeat world No.1 Novak Djokovic on Sunday (AEST), booking his place in the Madrid Open final.
Nineteen-year-old Alcaraz became the first player to defeat Nadal and Djokovic back-to-back, while he is the youngest player to defeat a world No.1 in 17 years, and did with a battling 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 7-6 (7-5) triumph over Djokovic.
Djokovic had breezed past Pole Hubert Hurkacz to reach the final four in Madrid for the seventh time, while Alcaraz beat compatriot Nadal to make the semi-finals on the clay.
That made Alcaraz the first teenager to beat record 21-time grand slam winner Nadal on his favourite surface on the ATP Tour, and the Spaniard again raced out of the blocks as he immediately broke Djokovic.
However, the experienced Serbian returned the favour to level at 4-4, before eventually claiming the first set with a tie-break win after an hour-and-two-minute battle.
Neither relented in the second set, with both holding their first five service games before Alcaraz eventually broke the No.1 seed – the first set Djokovic had dropped in Madrid – to send the match to a decider.
Alcaraz, buoyed on by a vociferous home crowd, had won three consecutive three-set matches before this last-four meeting, and had the chance to follow suit, only for Djokovic to deliver an ace at match point.
Another tie-break was required to separate the pair, with Alcaraz eventually triumphing after three hours and 35 minutes to record his sixth straight win over top-10 ranked players.
Alcaraz, who has won his past nine matches, will meet Alexander Zverev in the final after the No.2 seed beat Stefano Tsitsipas in the other semi-final on Sunday (AEST) 6-4 3-6 6-2.
