Novak Djokovic name-dropped as key in Alcaraz ‘taking large step’ forward of US Open

Aug 24, 2023 at 8:28 AM
Novak Djokovic name-dropped as key in Alcaraz ‘taking large step’ forward of US Open

Feliciano Lopez has pressured the significance of Carlos Alcaraz’s victory over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon as they put together for an additional potential conflict on the US Open. The world No 1 turned the primary participant in a decade to defeat the Serb on Centre Court, lifting the trophy because of this. Although Alcaraz received final yr’s US Open as a young person and have become the youngest No 1 in ATP historical past, Lopez defined why beating Djokovic at SW19 was a “big step” in comparison with all of his different achievements.

Alcaraz and Djokovic are on a collision course to fulfill within the finals of the third straight match that they’ve each performed. The 20-year-old defeated the world No 2 to win Wimbledon final month and on Sunday, Djokovic acquired revenge by beating the two-time Major champion to carry the Cincinnati Open trophy.

The Spaniard can also be the defending champion at a Grand Slam for the primary time in his younger profession, as he received the US Open aged simply 19 final yr. And Alcaraz’s countryman Lopez has now addressed his monumental rise, claiming that his Wimbledon victory was an important results of his profession to date.

“Well, I think the fact that he won Wimbledon is a big step. It’s another big step in his career,” the previous world No 9 mentioned. “Although he’s been winning [a] Grand Slam at a very early age and winning 1000s in the last 12 months. But I think I consider that winning Wimbledon and especially beating Novak Djokovic in the finals, it’s something else and something different so far in his career.”

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Lopez was additionally absolutely anticipating to see the US Open come right down to a two-horse race between Alcaraz and Djokovic, with each males on the alternative halves of the draw and solely in a position to meet within the ultimate. He continued: “I’ve been watching him lately in Canada and Cincy as well. And he’s been playing great.

“I think he’s for sure one of the contenders again for the Open together with Novak. I think there’s, in my opinion, of course it’s still a big difference between Novak and Carlos and the rest of the players nowadays, I think. But there’s a lot of things that can happen, but so far I think he’s continuing to progress and to improve his mental strength.”

And Lopez thought that Alcaraz’s mentality would solely go from energy to energy as he credited the courageousness of the 12-time title winner. “Because his skills, they’ve been always there. His physical condition is great. But I think mentally he’s continuously improving and I think he is going to give us a lot of wins, I think in the next five to six years for sure,” he added.

“So far he showed that he can handle the pressure very well. He’s very brave, I have to say. He’s only 20 years old, but he’s very brave. He showed some braveness in the finals when he had to challenge Novak Djokovic. I think, as I said before, this is another step different step in his career so far.”

Alcaraz shortly went from being a promising younger prospect to among the finest gamers on the planet, and Lopez anticipated the world No 1 to deal with his US Open title defence properly given the best way he had adjusted to the strain of being anticipated to win the entire time.

The 41-year-old defined: “I think he’s a little bit gifted as well in the way that it is very difficult for a kid at 20 years old to be handling that amount of pressure because it’s very difficult, it’s very different to play tennis when you are one of the rising stars coming up.

“To be playing now being No 1 in the world, it’s another story. So he showed so far that he’s able to handle that pressure which is very impressive.” But Lopez thought it was no accident that Alcaraz had tailored so shortly, having a powerful ethic in addition to the backing of Juan Carlos Ferrero in his nook.

“And also, he’s very well surrounded. He has a great team around him. Juan Carlos Ferrero, he was also No 1 in the world. He’s been through a lot of situations that Carlos is going through right now,” he added.

“And he’s a very humble kid as well. He has the will to learn every single day. So yeah, it’s a great combination of of talent and also work ethic and a lot of things that, all of them combined, are making him the best player in the world right now in the game.”

The US Open returns completely to Sky Sports and NOW with feeds to all courts from 28th August.