….said Jim Courier commenting on Alcaraz’s latest cramping issue. The first two sets were epic with both players producing brilliant points. But Novak was the initiator, in control until he played a few tentative games at the end of the second set. The tennis was at an epic level, beyond brilliant.

But, as I warned before, Traz runs his engine in the red line too much. It might work in 3 set matches, but 5 setters are a different game. Novak also totally neutralized the drop shot and dominated the longer rallies.

Hopefully Alcaraz finds a cure for the cramps, he is a cool kid. But as I’ve said before having great potential isn’t the same as winning 22 majors. He encountered a tennis great today and it was too much for him.

Djokovic looked down and out in the second set and he was lucky that Alcaraz got injured and could not play in the last two sets - end of BS story you cooked up again.   

Djokovic looked down and out in the second set and he was lucky that Alcaraz got injured and could not play in the last two sets - end of BS story you cooked up again.   

‘ With 16 years separating Djokovic and Alcaraz, the semi-final also represented the largest age gap between grand slam semi-finalists since Jim Courier defeated Jimmy Connors in the 1991 US Open semi-finals. In these matchups with huge age gaps, the younger player normally has the edge. But none of those previous involved Novak Djokovic. In the end, the 36-year-old physically outlasted the 20-year-old.’

Read and ffs learn something you dolt:

‘ In the end, Novak Djokovic was right: Carlos Alcaraz may have won their only previous meeting, but best-of-five at a grand slam was always going to be different.

So it proved. For well over two hours, the most-anticipated match of the year lived up to the hype. Djokovic and Alcaraz traded blows and held the French Open crowd in their spell. Djokovic needed to be at his highest level to take the first set 6-3, then Alcaraz found his spark and raised his own game to win the second 7-5. A third set of equal brilliance beckoned, as did a fourth and even a fifth. Djokovic, 36, won 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1.

But then Alcaraz stopped. After jumping on a Djokovic serve, he pulled up and felt his lower right leg. His calf had seized painfully, and the cramps began to spread around his body. “Not only the legs,” Alcaraz said. “The arms, as well.” It was a different match from then. Alcaraz refused to quit but it was a non-contest. The Spaniard, so thrilling when in full flight, moved like a bird whose wings had been clipped.

Alcaraz always plays at full pace and that was the game plan against Djokovic as well. But facing the 22-time grand slam champion requires perfection, especially in the big points. In the early exchanges, Alcaraz looked irritated, frayed and under pressure as he committed errors from the baseline. It was uncharacteristic from a player who usually performs with such a positive attitude. He was under significant stress, and it was notable that Alcaraz repeatedly turned and gestured to his box throughout the opening set.

Djokovic played Alcaraz at his own game, taking the ball early in an aggressive approach that disrupted the Spaniard’s rhythm. Djokovic’s control and precision on his service games pushed Alcaraz’s defensive capabilities to their limits. For Alcaraz, there was never a lost cause, never a Djokovic drop shot or lob that he could not reach, but all those sprints and hard efforts eventually added up.

It is perhaps only now that Alcaraz and everyone else realises how different a proposition facing Djokovic at a grand slam really is. “It’s not easy to play against Novak,” he explained. “If someone says that he gets into the court with no nerves playing against Novak, he lies. Of course, playing a semi-final of a grand slam, you have a lot of nerves, but even more with facing Novak. Next time that I’m going to face Novak, I hope to be different, but the nerves will be there.”

The tension. The tension of the match,” he continued. “The tension of the first set, the second set, it was really intense two sets. Really good rallies, tough rallies, drop shots, sprints. It’s a combination of a lot of things. But the main thing, it was the tension that I had all the two first sets.”

Djokovic was pushed to his maximum level as well, but the Serbian was playing his 45th grand slam semi-final, in his 17th year at the French Open. Djokovic has been joined by Alcaraz at the top of the sport but this was an occasion in which experience proved invaluable. Djokovic was sympathetic, and realised what had happened.

I can understand the emotions and circumstances that affect you mentally and emotionally,” he said. “Being in one of the greatest tournaments of the world, maybe for the first time in his career he was expected to win. He was maybe not an underdog, chasing the title and trying to win against a favourite. But it was probably the other way around. So maybe that affected him.”

I have been trying to explain to you for months that the Majors are different….that Alcaraz’s all out game is not ideal for 5 set tennis. Trying to school you on the game. Perhaps  the article above by the Independent’s tennis correspondent will help…but learning is not exactly your strong point.

You also insisted that the only matches in tennis that count are the majors.   You know nothing about what happens in the tennis world and that is a fact as well.    You always single out players you can attack when they get injured  and seemingly enjoy it when they do get injured - that is sick is it not?     

You also insisted that the only matches in tennis that count are the majors.   You know nothing about what happens in the tennis world and that is a fact as well.    You always single out players you can attack when they get injured  and seemingly enjoy it when they do get injured - that is sick is it not?     

Sour grapes….no generosity, no humor…a sad sack.

Let’s get back to analysis and ignore the spiteful name calling:

Commentating on the match for Eurosport, three-time Roland Garros champion Mats Wilander said Alcaraz's style of play means he expends more energy than Djokovic. "It was caused by Novak, only by Novak," Wilander said. "The difference between how Novak moves around, even when he's exhausted, and compared to Carlitos is a huge difference. I've never seen this from Carlos, and Novak exposed a weakness in him.

"Carlos Alcaraz ran an average of 20 meters up to his cramping part," he said. "They played 155 points, that's 3,000 meters, that's 30 x 100-meter sprints in two hours. He's not walking; he's sprinting for everything. Novak is smoother, and Carlos might not read the game as well and has taken way more steps.

…..

That pretty much coincides with my analysis. In every one of these Majors there are two or three stressful matches. Lower ranked players who strike form and want to bring down a champion. Putting them down requires massive effort. Multiply that over 23 Majors and the scope of Novak’s accomplishment becomes apparent.

To win even 5 Majors Alcaraz is going to have to find a way to win these matches with less effort. Given how developed his game is, that will have to be a mental shift. Can he and his coaching staff figure it out? It’s going to be fascinating to see.

Alcaraz won the US Open last year - he is still 19 years old and like many players he suffered from cramps in the match and when the second set was over the commentator said that Djokovic seemed to be down and out.   That is when early in the  third set - ie in the first game Alcaraz developed cramps and was treated for it.    How many tennis players lost matches because they had cramps during matches?   It in fact happens quite frequently and is not unique to Alcaraz.

I personally think that Alcaraz plays in too many tournaments  and that endangers him suffering from cramps - which is gone within 30 hours after the match.    It is not like the item about injuries you renewed at all.     In any event Alcaraz in winning the USA Open at the age of 19 was at least thee years younger than Nadal, Federer and Djokovic was before they won a Grand Slam  tournament.    

Last year Alcaraz did not play in Wimbledon - so I am not sure he would be able to perform on grass court tennis - he has thus far not played matches on grass.    Wimbledon last year was an exhibition tournament.    Two  players who have done well  at Wimbledon in the past -  Kyrgios and Berrettini have entered to play in the tournaments played this week and I think the reason for playing is to prepare for Wimbledon.     However, they have played virtually no tennis this year at all - and it is not clear whether they would be any good this week and in the Wimbledon Tournament.

Djokovic wasn’t playing in the US Open, which by your standards made it an exhibition tournament. The kid has talent, but he has some issues to work through. And at 20 Federer, Nadal and especially Novak had areas in their game to improve. Traz has had such professional coaching his upside is minimal….mainly mental. 

And he has physical vulnerabilities under stress. How many Majors he wins is very uncertain. Perhaps he has a better shot after Novak retires, but all the other players will have learned from Novak’s master class in Paris.

If Alcaraz is unable to go five sets against great players he will never be regarded as one of the greats also.

Plain and simple.

So Alcaraz suffered from cramps - something unique only certain only players suffers from and used as an excuse to damn players you dislike.    I think that Alcaraz should reduce the number of tournaments he plays in.