Carlos Alcaraz outplayed Novak Djokovic in undoubtedly one of the most epic matches of the 2022 Madrid Open. The two played their highest level of tennis, leaving no stone unturned in finding a way to beat each other. However, after a thrilling battle of 3 hours and 35 minutes, it was Alcaraz who marked his maiden victory over Djokovic.

Even though Djokovic was visibly upset by his loss, he didn’t shy away from praising Alcaraz in the most graceful manner.

Djokovic praises Alcaraz for his glorious win

Djokovic has been struggling since the start of the 2022 season. Following his vaccination stand, the Serbian has failed to play a majority of the tournaments. Needless to say, the lack of match experience has clearly been visible in Djokovic’s performance. After suffering early-round exits in Dubai and Monte Carlo, Djokovic made a comeback in Belgrade, reaching the finals. He also continued a similar performance in Madrid, before suffering a semifinal loss to Alcaraz.

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The loss undoubtedly left a lasting mark on Djokovic. The Serbian was in a great touch throughout the match. However, despite playing some high-quality tennis, he failed to stand the roaring storm of Alcaraz. Post the match, the world no.1 opened up about his feelings on playing Alcaraz.

He said, “He held his nerves very well. For somebody his age to play so maturely & courageously is impressive. He deserved to win.”

Alcaraz got his reward by winning the nail-biting match. However, one cannot ignore the quality game of Djokovic. Even though he lost the match, he played a highly polished and balanced game, giving a slight glimpse of his game during his peak form. Looking at Djokovic’s performance, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that he did push Alcaraz to his limits during his run to the victory.

Opening up on his own performance, Djokovic said, “I had a lot of chances & it was a fantastic match. Great battle. But I’m definitely disappointed with not being able to use my chances in the 2nd set.”

The next step of Novak Djokovic

Getting back steadily to his optimum, Novak Djokovic will next play at the ATP Masters 1000 Rome. Entering the tournament as the top seed, he has received a first-round bye. Eyeing his 6th title in the Italian capital, Djokovic will kick-off his tournament campaign campaign from the second round. He will face the winner of Llyoyd Harris and Aslan Karatsev.

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Going further, after Rome, Djokovic will next play his first Grand Slam of the year at Roland Garros. With all the top players expected to be in the draw, Djokovic will have to use Rome as the platform to brush up his skills in order to eye his third Roland Garros title.