Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes of securing a fifth Grand Slam title crumbled in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, as he was defeated by Novak Djokovic in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
And the young superstar is learning his lessons.
Alcaraz took the opening set but Djokovic, despite battling through a leg injury, came back to win the next three sets, earning a spot in the semi-finals against Alexander Zverev.
The Spaniard equaled his best Australian Open performance from last year, where he also lost to Zverev at the same stage, but he was disappointed to miss out on his first title in Melbourne.
After the match, Djokovic praised their encounter, calling it one of the best he’s ever played. Alcaraz, in his post-match comments, expressed pride at the compliment.
“It’s great hearing those words from someone who has played historic matches,” said Alcaraz “I’m leaving Australia with my head held high.”
The match, which lasted three hours and 37 minutes, was a hard-fought contest with Djokovic showing signs of struggle due to an upper leg injury. The 37-year-old took a medical timeout late in the first set but returned to the court with his leg taped.
Djokovic, aiming for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, described the match as one of his most epic battles. He is currently chasing his 10th Australian Open victory, which would see him surpass Margaret Court’s all-time Grand Slam singles record.