‘Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at level of their own – other guys got to catch up’ – Alexander Zverev

Ewan West 07 Sep 2023 10:06 AM

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic after a match

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic enjoy a light-hearted moment

Alexander Zverev believes Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz “are at a level of their own” and declared that the other players need to “catch up.”

The world No 12 assessed that the top two players in the men’s game are at a “very, very similar” level following his defeat to Alcaraz at the 2023 US Open.

The German was downed 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 by defending champion Alcaraz in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday.

Zverev also faced Djokovic, who will replace Alcaraz as world No 1 following the tournament, in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters last month – with the Serbian prevailing 7-6(5), 7-5.

Alcaraz and Djokovic, who recently contested epic finals in Wimbledon and Cincinnati, could face off for the third time in as many months in the US Open championship match.

Speaking after his loss to the 20-year-old Spaniard, Zverev asserted that the dominant duo have separated themselves from other elite ATP players.

“Well, I mean, I played Novak in Cincinnati, I played Carlos here. I think they are very, very similar from the level of the game,” said the German in his post-match press conference.

“There are some things that Novak does better, there are some things that Carlos does better. I think they are at a level of their own at the moment. Yeah, the other guys gotta catch up. That’s as simple as that.”

The 26-year-old also discussed Alcaraz’s ability to raise his level on the big points in the match.

“If I remember correctly, I think we were in the rally once, and I missed a backhand down the line. I think maybe I shouldn’t have gone for that because I was winning quite a lot of rallies until that point,” explained Zverev.

“Second break point I don’t remember, to be honest. I mean, I don’t know. It’s tough to say, because there was only a few important moments in this match, to be honest, which he played well. Maybe I went for a wrong decision, wrong shot, in a way.

“But I thought even though I lost first set I thought it was going to be a competitive match. I thought my level was there. I thought his level was there. I thought it was going to be a fun one.

“I think first or second game, I think first game already in the second set I felt something wrong. Then I didn’t give up, but there is very little you can do in a way against Carlos then.”

Alcaraz will face world No 3 Daniil Medvedev in the last four in New York, while Djokovic will take on rising American star Ben Shelton.