Djokovic had powered through the opening set 6-2.
“Game-wise, you saw it. For the first set was one of the best sets I’ve played the last couple years,” the 38-year-old said afterwards.
The world No.4’s serve was on song; he won those points at 93 per cent. His error count was low, and he didn’t squander break point chances either.
Alcaraz knew he was in for a battle. “The first set, I think he [Djokovic] played great,” he said. “I was hitting the ball well. I was moving well. I think all I can say I played well the first set but in front of me I had a great and inspired Novak [who] was playing great, great shots.”
An ounce of luck for Alcaraz
The match changed complexion slowly through the second set.
Alcaraz was the beneficiary of a weird let cord in the third game. One of his forehands had enough power behind it to almost force its way through the net. Instead, it popped up and basically dropped dead in Djokovic’s court. On replay, the footage showed the ball hit the bottom of the net first instead of the court itself.
The Spanish maestro raised both hands as if to say “don’t blame me – I had nothing to do with it”. Both players walked back to prepare for the next point with a look of bemusement.
“Oh my God, it hit the net and dribbled,” Jim Courier said on Nine. “You don’t see that every day. It kicked off the tape, went straight up and came down into the netting.” Todd Woodbridge explained further: “I think it might have actually caught the cables that go into the [net] cameras that sit on the centre strap [of the net].”
An audacious shot around the net post goes to waste
The third set produced the point of the match. A desperate and hard-running Djokovic was good enough to chase down a wide ball, and his next shot curled around the net post. But it wasn’t enough. Alcaraz stretched to his forehand side and put the ball across the net, out of Djokovic’s reach to take the point.
Alcaraz raised both arms and then put his finger to his ear to soak up the applause, which to be fair was for both players. Djokovic, hands on hips and standing almost with the courtside photographers, raised his eyebrows. What more could he do?
Alcaraz again with the put-away shot
In the opening game of the fourth set, the Spainard’s defensive strength again proved the difference. He forced Djokovic to play that extra shot in a rally – either creating an error on the Serbian’s racquet or winning the point on comfortable terms. This rally lasted 16 shots but, and Alcaraz finished the point with a simple put-away into an open court.
It summed up the pattern of play.
