Alcaraz, Nine, injuries: Djokovic shows no one thrives more in chaos
It was a lead-up that would have derailed the tournament for most players, but once again Novak Djokovic showed there is no one who thrives more in chaos than he does.
Djokovic’s ability to overcome adversity has been one of the hallmarks of his stellar career, and he showcased it once again by vanquishing the man who many have predicted will eventually send him into retirement.
The 10-time Australian Open champ’s preparation for his quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz could not have been less ideal after he found himself in a stoush with the Nine Network and namely veteran journalist Tony Jones after his last match.
But as he has done time and time and time again over a career which now spans 22 years, Djokovic proved he is at his most dangerous when he is backed into a corner.
Last year was the first time in seven years that Djokovic did not win a grand slam title. Finally Father Time had caught up to him, or so we thought.
Djokovic was dispatched by Alcaraz at Wimbledon last July in a moment that felt very much like a changing of the guard.
The Serb returned the favour by claiming an elusive gold medal at the Paris Olympics a month later, but surely that was a little bump in the way of Alcaraz’s coronation, or so we thought.
Sporting contests billed as blockbusters often tend to disappoint, but the signs were apparent early on that this epic would not disappoint. And for the next 3 hours and 37 minutes, the fans were treated to an Australian Open clash of the highest order.
Djokovic called the match one of the best he’s been involved with at Melbourne Park, and although he was beaten, Alcaraz couldn’t help but agree.
Djokovic called the quarterfinal agaisnt Alcaraz one of the best matches he’s been involved in at Melbourne Park. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)
“Every time that we play against each other, I think it’s a guaranteed (great match),” he told reporters at Melbourne Park.
“We push each other to the limit. I think we’ve played great points, great rallies. It was really tight the third, the fourth set. I mean, the whole match, I guess.
“I’m just lucky to live this experience. I’m 21 years old. From these matches, I’m getting so much experience about how to deal with everything.
“I’m not going to hide. I’ve done great things in tennis already, but playing against one of the best in history of our sport, these kind of matches help me a lot in the future to be better. I’m just happy to be able to live this experience.
“For me, it’s great hearing those words from someone who played historic matches, (and done) historic things.”
Not only is Djokovic excellent with the racquet in hand, he is the master of the mental game, and showed it in this quarterfinal.
Djokovic knew he couldn’t turn the match into a physical contest against a player 16 years his junior, particularly after suffering a mystery injury at the end of the first set, so he turned it into a chess match.
After dropping the first set, Djokovic called a medical timeout to have trainers tend to his left leg for a mystery injury. It is a ploy we’ve seen time and time again.
Like many a player before him, Alcaraz made the fatal mistake of letting the champ’s injury get in his head.
“In the second set I had to play a little bit better just to push him even more to the limit,” he said.
“When you see someone that is struggling physically a little bit, it’s kind of you not playing the same level. It seems like, ‘OK, it’s going to be easier’, (but) at the same time in your mind you’re thinking, ‘OK, I have not to make mistakes’.
Alcaraz admitted Djokovic’s injury at the end of the first set got into his head. (Getty Images: Shi Tang)
“Probably you’re not hitting the ball at the same way that you’re hitting before. I think that’s it.
“I think he did great, great hits, great shots. He started to play more aggressively, try not to move so much in the second set. He made few of them, which make him stay up in the set, break up, or stay up.”
Djokovic has seen it all before, and Alcaraz’s little slip-up was all the 37-year-old needed to capitalise.
“I saw it,” he said.
“I tried to use that to my advantage, in a sense, to take the initiative of the rallies and his hesitation. He was trying to play at some point quite a few drop shots and make me run.
“I’ve been in the situations, as well, where opponent’s struggling with injury, but keep going. The opponent is going for everything, and then he’s staying in the match. Then all of a sudden as the match progresses, the opponent feels better. You’re starting to panic a bit with your game.
“Look, I feel for him. I understand that it’s not comfortable to play someone that you don’t know if he’s going to retire or not. Is he moving? Is he running? What’s happening?
“I felt that he was looking at me more than he was looking at himself.”
It is hard to fathom how Djokovic can stay so even-keel in choppy waters, whether it be on the court or off it.
For a player who was considered a little mentally fragile and even soft in the early years of his career, the Serb has proven himself to be one of the greatest street fighters sport has ever seen.
“I think I’ve experienced that few times in my career,” he said when asked about facing adversity.
“Experience helps of understanding how to face adversity and draw, I guess, the right necessary strength and energy that you feed off in order to win a tennis match, to win a tournament.
“I don’t recall last time it was any slam without some form of drama, to be honest. I guess that’s part of it.
“We are out here competing and giving our best to grab a grand slam title (and) a lot of things happen on the way. That’s okay.
“I’m just pleased with the way I was able to play throughout the entire tournament, including tonight, against one of the best players, one of the two or three best players in the word in the last three, four years. It’s just a great win. I’m very proud of it.”
It is hard to believe that Djokovic could head into the tournament he has won more than any other men’s player as an outsider, but that is what happened heading into Melbourne Park this year when the Serb was granted the number seven seed.
Throughout the first week of the tournament Djokovic has lurked behind the likes of reigning champion Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, flying under the radar until the stoush with Jones and Nine put him front and centre.
His toppling of Alcaraz will now send shivers through the remainder of the men’s draw.
The monster of Melbourne Park is well and truly awake.
