‘Next time I face Novak…’: Alcaraz sends Wimbledon warning to Djokovic, explains cramps in French Open semi-final defeat

Considered to be Novak Djokovic’s biggest threat in Wimbledon 2023, Carlos Alcaraz is set to face Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the second round on Friday, at Centre Court. The Spaniard defeated Jeremy Chardy in the first round, winning 6-0 6-2 7-5.

Meanwhile, Djokovic is currently trying to match Roger Federer’s tally of record eight titles at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. The veteran cruised to a historic 23rd Grand Slam title in Roland Garros, where he defeated Casper Ruud in the French Open final.

He set a new men’s singles record and overtook Rafael Nadal’s tally of 22 Grand Slam titles. He also removed Alcaraz from the world no. 1 spot in the rankings. But since then, the Spaniard has returned to pole position after winning at Queen’s.

The duo faced each other in the French Open semi-finals, where Djokovic came out on top in a thriller, winning 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1. In the third set, the 20-year-old also experienced cramps, which made it easy for Djokovic to seal the match. After suffering cramps, Alcaraz lost 12 of the next 13 games.

The young Spaniard blamed his cramps on the stress and tension experienced due to facing Djokovic in the semi-final of a Grand Slam. “As I said, the main reason that I had cramp in the semifinal was the tension that I had facing Novak in the semifinal of a Grand Slam,” he said.

“I’m sure the experience is really important part on that. I think I learned a lot from that match to the next time I’m going to face Novak. It’s going to be different for me. I’m going to deal the pressure better than I did in the semifinal of French Open”, he further added.

Djokovic has already booked a place in third round in London, where he will face Stan Wawrinka on Friday, at Centre Court. The Serbian defeated Jordan Thompson in the second round and Pedro Cachin in the first.