By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Photo credit: ROLEX
Rod Laver Arena court was a historic crossroads.
A hobbled Novak Djokovic seemed to be nearing the end of the road when he delivered a remarkable rally to shatter Carlos Alcaraz’ major dream and continue his own.
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The 37-year-old Serbian superstar overcame an apparent hamstring or groin injury to out-duel Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a wild marathon match to advance to his 12th Australian Open semifinal.
It is the 50th major semifinal for Djokovic, who is playing to win a 100th career title, including a record-extending 25th Grand Slam championship.
Alcaraz told Tennis Now last month his primary goal for 2025 was to win the AO and complete the career Grand Slam.
Djokovic denied that dream, for now, but taught the 21-year-old Spaniard a lesson in tennis tenacity.
Alcaraz, who carried a 55-1 record when winning the first set of a major match into this Olympic final rematch, said afterward the loss is a lesson in the importance of sustaining intensity against an apparently injured opponent.
“Honestly I felt like I was controlling the match, and I let him get into the match again,” Alcaraz said. “I’m going to say that’s the biggest mistake that I made today.
“In the second set I had to play a little bit better just to push him even more to the limit. Yeah, he saw that he had issues just moving a little bit in the second set. I had to push him a little bit more just to the limit, and I didn’t. I didn’t do it. After that, I think he started to feel better and playing such a great level. That was my biggest mistake today.
“But obviously when Novak is at this level, it’s really difficult. I think I had my chances. It was a really close match. I think most of the crucial points, it went to his side.”
The reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner showed his frustration at one point looking at coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and hobbling on his own leg as if questioning how badly his opponent was really hurt.
In his post-match presser afterward, Alcaraz said he’s not accusing Djokovic of gamesmanship, but pointed out a dramatic transformation in the 10-time AO champion’s movement.
“I think everybody saw in the second set he’s struggling a little bit to moving,” Alcaraz told the media in Melbourne. “I don’t know if it was more running to the forehand or running to backhand, but obviously he was struggling. Then the third and fourth set, I didn’t see anything bad from him.
“So I’m not saying, like, he made a show. I just saying that, I don’t know. It’s obvious and everybody saw it that he’s struggling in the second set. Then the third and fourth set he showed he was really good.”
In a poignant scene 15 minutes after the match ended, former world No. 1 Andy Murray, Djokovic’s new coach, tracked Alcaraz down in the gym and paid his respect to the Spaniard as he pedaled on an exercise bike to cool down from a three-hour 37-minute battle.
The four-time Grand Slam champion said he views this loss as a learning lesson and is grateful to grow from it.
“I’m playing great, great matches,” Alcaraz said. “I mean, we push us to the limit, each other. 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.”
