Carlos Alcaraz received ‘perfect lesson’ from Novak Djokovic ahead of US Open
Carlos Alcaraz won’t be too downbeat after his Cincinnati Open final defeat to Novak Djokovic as Alex Corretja feels it was the perfect preparation for the US Open.
Just weeks after Alcaraz got the better of the 23-time Grand Slam winner in a brilliant Wimbledon final, Djokovic turned the tables as he beat the world No 1 in a modern-day, three-set classic at the ATP Masters 1000 final in Ohio on Sunday.
That win came just a fortnight ahead of the season-ending US Open and many believe it now gives Djokovic the edge over his main rival for the title.
However, two-time French Open finalist and tennis analyst Corretja believes Alcaraz will have taken a lot out of that defeat.
“I don’t think it should affect him because for him it’s a perfect final,” he told Eurosport.
“It’s a perfect lesson moment, he learned from RG [Roland Garros] semi-final and then he did unbelievable at Wimbledon.
“Now, this is another final with where he knows how to be there with Novak. So I don’t think he should go thinking any bad feelings, especially [given] he’s going into the tournament where he won last year.
“He already won another major, which may help him to understand that he can do it again.”
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It was the fourth time that the pair had met in top-level tennis as Alcaraz won their first-ever encounter at the 2022 Madrid Open before Djokovic drew level with his win in the last four of the French Open this year.
If the seedings hold, then Alcaraz and Djokovic will meet in the final at Flushing Meadows.
And Corretja feels both still have a lot to figure out in terms when it comes to dissecting each other’s play.
The former world No 2 added: “I think every time they play they start knowing each other a little bit better.
“I think for both it’s good. I think for Carlos because he’s going to know how to deal with this important moment, which I think Novak he’s been through many, many, many times before.
“They know that is going to be a big battle all the time. They know it’s going to be very important to take the chances they’ve got because if not, maybe in the future, they won’t have those chances.
“And for Carlos, it’s very important also to adjust to the game of Novak, because many times when he’s aggressive, he dictates and maybe the other opponents, they cannot handle it. But against Novak, he knows he needs to go for one more shot because no one can defend and can push the ball very deep into the court [like him].
“And for Novak also it’s knowing how Carlos’s forehand is coming, how he can run, how he can defend, but also how he can attack. I think that they’re learning that is going to be huge.
“And it always is going to be tough if one of them doesn’t play 100 per cent they will fail because if they play 99 per cent, it’s not going to be enough.”
