Carlos Alcaraz has separated himself from the chasing pack and is performing on the identical stage as 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, mentioned Alexander Zverev after his US Open quarter-final defeat to the Spaniard.
Zverev was as soon as seen as the very best wager to interrupt the “Massive Three’s” stranglehold on males’s tennis, however the 26-year-old German has did not kick on and remains to be searching for a primary Grand Slam title.
With Roger Federer now retired and Rafael Nadal prone to finish his profession after subsequent season, Alcaraz has joined Djokovic on the prime of the lads’s recreation, and Zverev is probably finest positioned to judge the ability shift having misplaced to each not too long ago.
“I performed Novak in Cincinnati (final month), I performed Carlos right here. They’re very related from the extent of the sport,” Zverev advised reporters after defending champion Alcaraz outclassed him 6-3 6-2 6-4.
“There are some issues Novak does higher; there are some issues Carlos does higher. I feel they’re at a stage of their very own for the time being.
“The opposite guys have gotten to catch up. It is so simple as that.”
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Highlights of Carlos Alcaraz in opposition to Alexander Zverev within the quarter-finals of the US Open
At 36, Djokovic is enjoying a few of his finest tennis and is chasing a twenty fourth Grand Slam title to match Margaret Court docket’s all-time singles document.
The duo have dominated the tour this season with the Serb profitable the Australian and French Opens whereas Alcaraz, 20, upstaged him at Wimbledon for his second Grand Slam crown.
Zverev, who reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros this 12 months, was suffering from an ankle harm final season however mentioned a hamstring concern put paid to his hopes at Flushing Meadows.
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Alcaraz and Djokovic are ‘at a stage of their very own’, says Zverev
“I could not push off on my serve anymore. My serve velocity was down rather a lot in comparison with different days,” he added.
“Towards him, I wanted a great serving day, in any other case it might have been troublesome. My largest weapon was taken away after the primary set.
“It is troublesome to even compete if you do not have that.”
Alcaraz will subsequent tackle 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev within the semi-finals on Friday, whereas 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic faces unseeded Ben Shelton, a 20-year-old American who has by no means been this far at a significant.
“I attempt to make the folks get pleasure from watching tennis, watching the matches,” Alcaraz mentioned throughout his on-court interview.
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Carlos Alcaraz says he’s feeling comfy enjoying on the US Open
“The final matches I performed in opposition to Daniil [Medvedev] I performed a tactical recreation performed completely. I did fairly nicely, all of the issues that I needed to do in opposition to him, so I feel my recreation fits fairly nicely in opposition to that sort of opponent, you understand, like Daniil.
“So, I’ll attempt to do the identical issues that I did, for instance, in Indian Wells and in Wimbledon, and hopefully to get the win and play the identical stage that I performed in these matches.”
On a possible closing vs Djokovic, Alcaraz added: “Effectively, clearly it is nearer than the start of the match. It is only one match from that potential closing.
“It could be nice to play a closing in opposition to Novak right here in New York, however each of us have a extremely powerful semi-final, so let’s have a look at.
“However clearly each of us are searching for that potential closing.”
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