Novak Djokovic sends message to Carlos Alcaraz ahead of Madrid Open final against Zverev | Tennis | Sport
Novak Djokovic has wished tennis starlet Carlos Alcaraz a good luck message ahead of the Spaniard’s Madrid Open final clash against Alexander Zverev. Alcaraz booked his spot in the final after defeating world No 1 Djokovic in a scintillating semi-final clash on Saturday afternoon.
The pair played out a mammoth clash in the Spanish capital as all three sets went to a nail-biting tie break. It was the teenager who prevailed, as he secured a historic 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 on home turf.
Victory means Alcaraz will now take on Zverev in this evening’s final, and ahead of the clash a gracious Djokovic has wished the Spanish teenager the best of luck in his quest for the title. The Serbian took to Instagram to write: “Great things to come from this talent in the future. Good luck in the final tomorrow @carlitosalcarazz Muchas gracias Madrid!”
Alcaraz has taken the tennis world by storm in 2022, having moved into the top 10 of the ATP ranking at just 19-years-old after securing three titles this campaign. This remarkable form has certainly continued in Madrid after the teenager defeated arguably the two best players in the world in as many days in Rafael Nadal and Djokovic to book his final place.
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As well as praise on social media, Alcaraz also received Djokovic’s plaudits when the world No 1 spoke to the media following his semi-final exit on Saturday. The Serbian said: “Congrats to him. He held his nerve very well. For somebody of his age to play so maturely and courageously is impressive. He deserved to win…
“I had a lot of chances, it was a fantastic match. Great battle. But I’m definitely disappointed with not being able to use my chances in the second set. His kick in altitude here is huge, and it was just difficult to deal with his ball, and I wasn’t feeling my return from that side. He was serving a lot of kick just to put himself in a good position.”
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