Carlos Alcaraz has been inspiring fear among his opponents but he faces the ultimate test in his clash against Novak Djokovic, who at 36 is hanging on to his dream of claiming a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam I Join coverage with our live blog from 1.30pm (BST) on Friday
Friday 9 June 2023 07:18, UK
It's the hotly-anticipated clash everyone wants to see as world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz meets Grand Slam record-chasing Novak Djokovic in the French Open semi-finals.
It is a fascinating battle of the generations, with 36-year-old Djokovic chasing a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title and Alcaraz, 16 years his junior, a second.
Djokovic and Alcaraz met for the first - and only - time in Madrid last year, when the young Spaniard served notice that he was the present as well as the future of tennis by beating Rafael Nadal and Djokovic back to back.
Since then they have frustratingly missed each other, with Djokovic unable to play in the US Open, where Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam title, because of his vaccination status, while the 20-year-old was kept out of the Australian Open by injury.
This match is one everyone wanted to watch. I would say it's going to be a really good match to play and to watch as well. I really wanted to play this match as well. I always say that if you want to be the best you have to beat the best.
They both reached the semi-finals dropping only one set but, Alcaraz has been the more impressive, spending three-and-a-half hours less on court than Djokovic in his five matches so far.
The Serbian looked in trouble for a while against Karen Khachanov before playing a flawless second-set tie-break.
Djokovic's ability to lock in at the most important moments is one of his greatest strengths while his extraordinary precision in the placement of his shots is unmatched.
If Djokovic is the old master, Alcaraz is the young impressionist, using the clay canvas to show off his talent and exuberance.
The top seed has dismantled Italian talent Lorenzo Musetti and hopeful Stefanos Tsitsipas on his way to the last four, playing at a rarely-seen level against the Greek.
Alcaraz called the masterclass 'one of the best' matches of his career and he will need another against Djokovic, who will not let any lapse in concentration go unpunished.
Carlos believes a lot in himself and he believes that he can beat Novak.
Alcaraz is relishing the chance to take on Djokovic, according to his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Ferrero knows what it takes to win on the Parisian clay having lifted the title in 2003 and he feels his man is ready to topple Djokovic.
"I think both players are maybe the best in the world right now," said the Spaniard. "Novak has the experience to play these kind of matches more than Carlos, of course, but, at the same time, Carlos really wants to play that match. He was really looking forward to that match since the beginning.
"Of course, he had to play match by match and we were very patient about it. But I think he is ready.
"He practised for these kind of matches. He practises for these kind of moments to be there and try to make history step by step.
"He wants to do it but of course we really know that Novak is going to give absolutely his best. I think he is going to fight until the last ball and he is going to prepare for the match as well as we can do.
"So we expect a really tough and close match. Carlos believes a lot in himself and he believes that he can beat Novak."
That belief has been evident since the moment Alcaraz burst onto the global stage.
He can take confidence, meanwhile, from having beaten Djokovic in their only previous match, on clay in Madrid last spring, when he also defeated Nadal.
"He dreams very big about what he can do, so I think it's one of the most important things that he believes in himself and that he believes that he can go to the court and win against everybody," said Ferrero.
Djokovic claimed his 22nd slam title in Melbourne and can set a new all-time men's record by lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a third time.
"He deserves his success, no doubt," said Djokovic of Alcaraz. "He's working hard and he's a very complete player already and only 20.
"So we played only once in Madrid last year, 7-6 in the third for him. Most of the tournaments this year we were not in the same draw but here we are.
"That's the match that a lot of people want to see. It's definitely the biggest challenge for me so far in the tournament. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. He's definitely a guy to beat here. I'm looking forward to that."
The other semi-final pits fourth seed Casper Ruud against Alexander Zverev, who has found form again on the Paris clay 12 months after seriously injuring his ankle in a last-four clash with Nadal.
The German did not play another match until the beginning of this season but insisted there is no mental scar tissue as he looks to reach a second grand slam final.
"I think I'm at a stage now where I'm not thinking about the injury so much anymore," he said. "I'm not thinking about what happened. I'm just happy to be back where I was last year, and I have another chance. Hopefully I can take it."
Ruud made his first slam final here last year before losing heavily to Nadal and has shrugged off his own difficult start to the season.
