In a gripping encounter marked by dramatic shifts in momentum, Novak Djokovic triumphed over Carlos Alcaraz in a four-set thriller, with the scoreline reading 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. The Spaniard started strong, dominating the opening set with his explosive play. However, Djokovic found his way into the match and never looked back, securing a spot in the semifinals.

Despite the victory, it was far from smooth sailing for the Serbian juggernaut, who faced an injury scare during the second set. A hamstring issue appeared to limit his lateral movement, prompting him to take a medical timeout. Yet, he managed to adjust his game and power through, leaving spectators in awe of his ability to overcome adversity. Alcaraz, however, raised eyebrows with comments about Djokovic’s apparent recovery.

During the post-match press conference, the Spaniard shared his observations, “I think everybody saw in the second set he’s struggling a little bit to moving. I don’t know if it was more running to the forehand or running to the backhand, but obviously, he was struggling. Then the third and fourth sets, I didn’t see anything bad from him. So I’m not saying, like, he made a show. I’m 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.”

Further, Djokovic even took two doses of painkillers to fight through the pain as he battled his way into the last four. Additionally, he made a shocking revelation about his condition, saying, “I’m concerned, physically. But if I manage somehow to be physically good enough, mentally, emotionally, I’m as motivated as I can be.”

Last year too, Djokovic had to withdraw midway through the French Open due to an injury. Thus, the Serb would hope to avoid this fate at the ongoing Australian Open. While it was bliss for Djokovic despite his injury, Alcaraz was left ruing as he missed the opportunity to proceed through the tournament. After the match, he reflected on his biggest mistake in the match.

Carlos Alcaraz points out the major blunder after loss to Novak Djokovic

The Spaniard entered his latest clash with Novak Djokovic holding the upper hand after their previous Grand Slam meeting at Wimbledon. However, this time, the determined Serb turned the tables, keeping his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title alive. Despite a bright start, Alcaraz couldn’t sustain his momentum and later admitted to making a crucial error that shifted the match in Djokovic’s favor.

Reflecting on the match, Alcaraz shared, “Honestly, I felt like I was controlling the match, and I let him get into the match again. I’m going to say that was 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. 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. After that, I think he started to feel better and he started playing at such a great level. That was my biggest mistake today. Obviously, when Novak is at this level, it’s really difficult. I think I had my chances. It was a really close match.”

Djokovic’s resilience and ability to capitalize on Alcaraz’s missteps propelled him to victory and a spot in the semifinals. Up next, he faces another formidable challenge in Alexander Zverev. The high-stakes match is set for Friday at the iconic Rod Laver Arena, promising yet another thrilling chapter in Djokovic’s quest for tennis history. Can he clinch a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!