Jordi Quixano
Djokovic Can Beat Alcaraz and Reaches the Final
ALC-DJO (3-6 and 2-6)
Take out Nole.
– Serve to the corner, attack from half court and left with the volley (15-0).
– First serve and rest to Carlitos’ net (30-0).
– More of the same… (40-0).
Three match points for Novak Djokovic. The first one was wasted with a double fault. In the second, he attacked and it was over… Djokovic’s victory.
Jordi Quixano
Nole Recital
ALC-DJO (3-6 and 2-5)
The Blow for Alcaraz is Hard, as He Has Not Been Able to Win in Any of the Four Balls He Has Had. Break. He Knows Nole is in His Element, in His Territory, the One Who Says That When He Pushes He Makes His Rival Shiver. And He Tries to Squeeze It Out Against Alcaraz (0-30).
Carlitos Also Tries to Pull Himself Together. Good Service (15-30). But Djokovic is Boiling. So Much So That He is Able to Replicate a Drop with a Counter-Drop and Earn Two Points of Break… The First One Doesn’t Take It, the Rest Go. Neither Did the Second, Serve and Volley by Carlitos. He Deuce.
But a New Failure with the Topspin Backhand, to the Net Tape, Once Again Gave Nole the Chance to Win the Game. And He Takes It. She Brings Out Her Best Tennis, Endures Alcaraz’s Attacks and Raises Her Fists… Her Final is Almost Assured…
Jordi Quixano
The Greater the Challenge, the Better Djokovic
ALC-DJO (3-6 and 2-4)
Alcaraz is a Lot of Alcaraz. He Knows How to Suffer and He Also Knows That He Has Legs and a Wrist, Tennis Like Few Others. Now He Decides to Extend the Points, Run Where Others Don’t Even Think About It, Hit Deep Groundstrokes and Unbalance with Mid-Court Shots. That’s Enough to Earn Him Two Break Points, to Raise His Fists and Shout “Let’s Go!” While the Turin Fans Get Excited.
He Doesn’t Get It in the First One. Not Even in the Second… The Spaniard Cornered Him, He Had Him and… Nole Pulls Out an Exceptional Cross-Court Pass. He Deuces and Puts His Hand to His Ear, Demanding Applause. She Deserves It.
And More of the Same. Serve and a Crazy Volley, Djokovic to the Bucket, Quality Tennis… And Nole’s Game That Saved the Serve.
Jordi Quixano
Alcaraz Suffers but Remains Standing
ALC-DJO (3-6 and 2-3)
Exchange of Blows from the Back of the Court, Novak in Pass-Ball and Wall Mode, Replies So That Alcaraz Tries to Define the Points. That and the Returns to the Lines, Accompanied by Winners from the Middle of the Court, Becomes a Tennis That is Difficult to Digest for the Murcian. He Deuce with Carlitos’ Serve, Again Suffering for the Spaniard.
Double Fault from Alcaraz, Who Increasingly Wants to Force More Because Nole’s Remains Are Dynamite… Advantage for Djokovic. But Alcaraz Saves the Ball Break. He Also Connects Two Good Serves and Manages to Overcome Difficulties, Not Lose Before Time… Game and Play.
Jordi Quixano
Nole Imposes His Rhythm, His Law
ALC-DJO (3-6 and 3-1)
Alcaraz’s Mother Asks Him to Calm Down, Not to Show His Nerves, That He Already Knows What It is to Win Big, Also to Beat Djokovic on Two Occasions… But Nole Has Taken the Lead and is Getting Bigger with Each Passing Point. He Goes Up, Serves Well, Occupies the Court, Attacks Enough to Maintain the Initiative and Looks for the Unforced Error of His Rival. Few Players Serve as Much in Those Situations, a Tennis Player with Experience and an Iron Mentality… Nothing Can Replicate Alcaraz, Who Loses the Game, Who Sees How the Final is Getting Far Away…
Jordi Quixano
Nobody Subtracts Like Djokovic, Who Tilts the Final….
ALC-DJO (3-6 and 2-1)
The Difference Between the Two is the Ability to Get on Track When Subtracting. Alcaraz Cannot Attack the Rival’s Services While Nole, a Specialist in Subtraction, Sometimes Gets on Top of the Ball and Other Times is Content to Put It on the Court to Transfer the Pressure to the Spaniard. 15-30.
But Alcaraz Continues to Take Refuge in the First Serve (30-30) in the Same Way He Gets Involved… Backhand Cut to the Net, Nervous Laughter, Many Doubts, Alcaraz Lowered and Nole Squared. But It Marks an Ace. Same.
New Ace from Alcaraz - He Takes Advantage of a Referee Error Because They Called Out When It Was In and the Point Was Repeated – But a Better Rest from Novak.