Novak Djokovic said he was “incredibly proud” after beating world number one Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to reach the French Open final and move one step closer to a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title. This would be Djokovic’s 23rd Grand Slam title.
Djokovic will replace Alcaraz at the top of the rankings if he beats 2022 finalist Casper Ruud in Sunday’s final. However, the 36-year-old lost his momentum in the semifinal when Alcaraz, who is 16 years younger than him, won the second set 7-5 with some great shot-selection in a match that lived up to expectations until the pre-match favorite cramped up badly.
“The last thing you want in the final stages of a Grand Slam is cramps and other physical problems,” Djokovic told Eurosport after reaching the final. If he wins, he can move ahead of Rafael Nadal by one major title.
“I feel sorry for him and hope he can come back soon. At the end of the second set, we were both physically exhausted. I didn’t feel fresh at all. We went toe-to-toe.
“This happened when he got a cramp in the third set, and after that I just tried to stay focused and in the moment. I saw that he was having trouble and didn’t want to think too much about what was going on on the other side of the net.”
Many people thought Alcaraz would be the first player to beat Djokovic at a Grand Slam since 2021, besides Rafael Nadal, who isn’t playing this year because of an injury. Alcaraz beat world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semifinals with a calmness that was almost nonchalant.
At first, Nadal’s countryman looked more nervous and tense, and he didn’t take advantage of break points. Djokovic showed his class by finishing the set after getting a break ahead.
As he did in their only previous match, when he beat Djokovic at the Madrid Open in 2022, Alcaraz won the second set 7-5 as he found full speed and finally took break points on both sides of Djokovic breaking back when the US Open winner went up 5-3.
Djokovic lost a game because Alcaraz had a seizure. The Spaniard had trouble getting back to his seat in the third game of the third set, so he had to call for a doctor and lose a game.
Alcaraz didn’t give up when he cramped up and kept making some great shots, but Djokovic took advantage of his lack of movement to set up a showdown where he will be the clear favorite to make more history.
“It’s a dream to be in a final again. I’m incredibly proud and very, very happy,” Djokovic said to cheers from fans, some of whom had booed him to show sympathy for Alcaraz when the tennis star celebrated winning points in the last set.
“It’s hard to keep up that level of energy on the court. During the first set and a half, I played really well. At the end of the second set, he was the better player and deserved to win, but I had to play more boldly. I had to take the ball early because he would have been the attacker if I hadn’t. I had to do the same. It was a lot of work.”
On Friday, Ruud, who is placed fourth in the world, won in straight sets against Zverev, who is ranked 23 places below him.
The Sporting News gave live reports and talked about the most important parts of the semifinal match.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic result
| 1 | 2 3 4 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 3 7 1 1 |
| Novak Djokovic | 6 5 6 6 |
Live updates and highlights from the French Open semifinal match between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-6 1-6 Djokovic* – NOVAK DJOKOVIC BEATS CARLOS ALCARAZ
Novak Djokovic makes it to the final of the 2023 French Open. Carlos Alcaraz had a chance to win at 40-0, but Djokovic easily won the next game to beat the world’s best player.
Carlos Alcaraz claps and waves as he leaves the court after a match in which an injury made it hard for him to play. Djokovic once again shows his class, with a little help from his opponent’s injury.
Alcaraz* 3-6 7-5 1-6 1-5 Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz wins his first game in 11 tries. Novak Djokovic’s wild swings helped, and a long return of serve from Carlos Alcaraz finished the deal.
Alcaraz is probably going to lose this event, but he hasn’t given up yet, even though it must have been tempting. Djokovic comes back out right away for what is likely to be the deciding game. Alcaraz takes a new racket out of his bag.
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-6 0-5 Djokovic*
Carlos Alcaraz has made a good comeback from his cramp, and he races to the net to flick a beautiful forehand drop shot past Novak Djokovic.
When his opponent won the next point, the crowd booed, which showed that they were rooting for Alcaraz. The crowd cheered again when Alcaraz used a forehand at the net to avoid Djokovic’s dive and make the score 15-30.
Djokovic hits an ace, then Alcaraz comes to the net and hits a nice lob long. Alcaraz forces deuce, but another ace from Djokovic puts him one game away from the final!
Alcaraz* 3-6 7-5 1-6 0-4 Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz starts this game with another unforced error by sending a simple shot into the net. He gets a point back after being down 0-15, but it’s not long before he makes another unforced error by sending a shot long, giving Djokovic a dominant lead on serve.
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-6 0-3 Djokovic*
Novak Djokovic wins the first two points of the third game easily, putting Carlos Alcaraz in a bad position right away. Djokovic then slams a shot against the top of the net and out of play to make it 30-15.
Alcaraz hits two shots into the net. Djokovic hasn’t lost a game in a long time.
Alcaraz* 3-6 7-5 1-6 0-2 Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz did well to risk a break in the first game of the third set, but Novak Djokovic quickly takes the lead when Alcaraz’s latest unforced error sent the ball into the net.
This might be over soon.
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-6 0-1* Djokovic
It’s been almost seven minutes since the last point. Novak Djokovic, who was booed when he came back from a shorter break, is now stretching after sitting in a serious, almost meditative pose for a short while.
Naomi Broady thinks that Carlos Alcaraz might have helped himself earlier with pickle juice and all those salts. The impact of the electrolytes could decide this match.
This might help ease that cramp: Djokovic sends a shot out of bounds to make it 15-30 on serve, and then Alcaraz sends a shot that looks tired out of bounds.
Djokovic hits a shot into the net, which gives Alcaraz break point. However, a Djokovic ace quickly puts an end to that glimmer of hope.
Alcaraz misses a break point early on, and then he misses another when Djokovic hits a drop shot into the net. But how much will this game wear out Alcaraz’s legs? Djokovic hits a drive lob into an open corner to bring it back to deuce.
After another tiring battle, Alcaraz’s shots don’t seem to have as much power, and when he hits a simple shot into the net, Djokovic cheers. Alcaraz then hits a backhand return into the net, and Djokovic cheers again. The score is now 1-0.
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-6 0-0 Djokovic
Mats Wilander, who has won the French Open three times, says on Eurosport that it’s hard to tell what Carlos Alcaraz will do now from a strategic point of view because Novak Djokovic looks so calm and strong.
Alcaraz* 3-6 7-5 1-6 Djokovic – NOVAK DJOKOVIC TAKES THE THIRD SET
Carlos Alcaraz gets one of his two points in this game by barely moving and smashing a shot across the floor.
Novak Djokovic wins the third set. Now it’s up to Alcaraz to get over his cramp. He’s taking a break to go to the bathroom, but he doesn’t look like he wants to move. The crowd cheers him on loudly.
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-5 Djokovic*
Naomi Broady says of Carlos Alcaraz on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, “He’s shooting salt.” As he slumps around the court, Alcaraz is likely trying to get better in time for the fourth set.
Novak Djokovic wins another game with almost no effort. Even for a player with his level of skill, this must be a strange match.
Alcaraz* 3-6 7-5 1-4 Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz double-faults and then hits a weak shot into the net. He doesn’t look happy and isn’t asking Novak Djokovic many questions. Will he be able to finish this match?
Alcaraz walks away without caring as Djokovic fires an easy winner past him to take another break to love.
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-3 Djokovic*
Poor Carlos Alcaraz has lost a game because he had to get treatment for cramps, which puts him a break behind.
The crowd is booing, but the referee has stuck to the rules. It doesn’t look like Alcaraz will be able to finish this game.
Djokovic is probably the guy you don’t want to play against in this situation. As he falls behind 30-15, he doesn’t seem to be moving very well.
Djokovic wins the game with a backhand down the line while Alcaraz taps the back of a leg to show his box where he’s cramping.
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-1 Djokovic*
Novak Djokovic gets the first point of this set with a very stylish cross-court volley. Then, at 15-15, he hits the ball out of bounds.
The world number two then sends a return into the net, making it 0-30. But Djokovic wins three in a row, including an inspired forehand from the baseline, to make it 40-30. Carlos Alcaraz then sends a return wildly into the net and clutches his right leg, clearly cramping badly. He can’t get back to his seat and has dropped his racket.
Djokovic walks over to talk to Alcaraz, who is stretching. It’s definitely time to talk to the coach.
*Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 1-0 Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is booed when he comes back to the court after going to the bathroom, which seems harsh since he was only gone for five minutes.
Carlos Alcaraz makes a mistake that gives Djokovic a chance, but he holds to 30 with a beautiful lob that Djokovic can only turn away from and ignore as it lands near the back of the court.
Alcaraz 3-6 7-5 Djokovic* – CARLOS ALCARAZ WINS THE SECOND SET
After Novak Djokovic hits a forehand wide, Carlos Alcaraz’s score goes from 0-30 to 0-30 after he hits a shot right on the line.
Alcaraz has 10 break points, but he’s only used one so far. Djokovic hits a forehand long, and Alcaraz celebrates with both hands in the air. Just like in Madrid, he wins the second set 7-5.
Alcaraz drinks water while Djokovic goes to the bathroom. “This is going to be a test of endurance,” Tim Henman says on Eurosport, adding that he can’t wait for the third set. “Alcaraz looks like he has the edge, but I wouldn’t count out Djokovic.”
*Alcaraz 3-6 6-5 Djokovic
Novak Djokovic has a chance to win this game by getting a break point, but he misses with a flashy-looking backhand, and Carlos Alcaraz wins the next point.
Alcaraz looks relaxed as he goes back to his seat after winning the 11th game of this set. He also points to something.
Naomi Broady says on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, “Djokovic’s fitness is just unmatched. For Novak to move like he does is amazing.”
Alcaraz 3-6 5-5 Djokovic*
When these two players met for the first time in Madrid in 2022, all three of their sets went longer than 10 games. This set will also go longer than 10 games.
With two forehands, Carlos Alcaraz went up 30-0, and a big part of the crowd cheered and chanted his name to show that they liked him.
Because Alcaraz’s drop shot wasn’t quite right, he got three break points. In response, his opponent served two points.
After deuce, Alcaraz hits a shot long, tying the score at 5-5.
*Alcaraz 3-6 5-4 Djokovic
What do you know? When you look at Novak Djokovic’s amazing career as a whole, it’s not that surprising that he quickly breaks back.
When Carlos Alcaraz misses a forehand and slams his racket into the dirt and barks in frustration, the game is over. Djokovic wins the match.
Alcaraz 3-6 5-3 Djokovic*
Carlos Alcaraz misses his latest break point for the fifth time in this match. Novak Djokovic answers with a thumping backhand to bring the game back to deuce and then celebrates in a big way.
Then, as Djokovic tried to handle Alcaraz’s fast shot, he hit a lob long, giving Alcaraz a sixth break point. Djokovic then hit a forehand long, giving Alcaraz his first break of the semifinal. You don’t need me to tell you that he’s happy about that.
Naomi Broady says on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra that the difference in energy between the two players is “clear as day.” She points out that Djokovic is rubbing his wrist.
*Alcaraz 3-6 4-3 Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz makes two drop shots that work, and then Novak Djokovic hits a shot from the net long. Could this be because of his injury, or is it because Alcaraz makes him move so quickly so often?
Djokovic told the judge to call for a trainer, and he is getting some help with what looks like his wrist.
Alcaraz 3-6 3-3 Djokovic*
Now, Djokovic quickly holds at the cost of only one point. The important thing to note about this game is that the two-time winner of Roland-Garros seems to be having some wrist trouble.
*Alcaraz 3-6 3-2 Djokovic
Alcaraz’s serve is helping him out of some tight spots in this game. He is serving consistently and has only lost a point after a few tough battles.
Alcaraz 3-6 2-2 Djokovic*
After that great, stretchy winner in the last game, Carlos Alcaraz does fall on his back when he tries to reach a Novak Djokovic drop shot to save game point.
As the crowd holds its breath and Djokovic shows worry, Alcaraz is fine. After all, this is just another routine hold in this set.
*Alcaraz 3-6 2-1 Djokovic
OK, let’s look at the order of the top shots in this match again. Novak Djokovic makes Carlos Alcaraz run after a doable drop shot, so he has to run after a return.
Alcaraz gets a reply past Djokovic with a slide that would probably put most people on the ground. Both players look shocked.
After getting the score to 40-30, Alcaraz earns the bad shot Djokovic makes to give him the game.
Alcaraz 3-6 1-1 Djokovic*
This game almost certainly has the best shot of the match so far. Carlos Alcaraz hits an amazing forehand return while running toward the back of the court. It goes just inside the line.
Novak Djokovic doesn’t mind that he’s happy right now, as shown by that big smile, but he does hold.
*Alcaraz 3-6 1-0 Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz has a great start to the second set. In the fourth point of the game, he holds to love with a backhand that is his best shot.
Besides the great shot-picking, that was the most boring thing we’ve seen so far in this fight.
Alcaraz 3-6 Djokovic* – NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS THE FIRST SET
Novak Djokovic’s third double-fault of the match gives Carlos Alcaraz hope, and Alcaraz’s lob sets him up to break back.
Djokovic confuses Alcaraz with a powerful serve to avoid being broken right away. Then Alcaraz misses two shots, giving up the first set.
What a set Novak Djokovic played against the top contender. “The way both players hit the ball has been absolutely incredible,” past contender Tim Henman told Eurosport.
“I can’t believe how well they cover the court. Djokovic looks as steady as a rock, and nothing seems to bother him from point to point. Alcaraz has talked to [coach] Juan Carlos Ferrero about some pretty serious things.
*Alcaraz 3-5 Djokovic
Alcaraz seemed to float through most of his semifinal match against Stefanos Tsitsipas, but he looks a little annoyed by how hard Djokovic is making him work to hold.
At 30-40 and set point for Djokovic, he saves himself with a good forehand. Then, a beautiful backhand forces Djokovic to serve for the set.
Alcaraz 2-5 Djokovic*
This set lasts almost 15 minutes, and Carlos Alcaraz has three chances to break, but Novak Djokovic holds, so it doesn’t matter. All it does is make both guys sweat more.
Let’s try to sum up: Alcaraz gets off to a good start by beating Djokovic with a forehand winner, but Djokovic gets him back when he comes to the net successfully. Alcaraz is not happy when he goes ahead again but then hits a volley into the net, and Djokovic does the same thing.
Djokovic takes a deep breath and double faults again, but Alcaraz misses a drop shot. This is followed by a series of games that look very tiring, in which the 22-time Grand Slam winner brings the score back to deuce over and over again.
Alcaraz gets some unusual help from Djokovic, but he can’t take advantage of it. He misses a pass into a mostly empty court, and Djokovic holds.
This is tough stuff, but it’s great to watch.
*Alcaraz 2-4 Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz pumps his fist after coming back from 15-30, which was caused by Novak Djokovic’s beautiful backhand in response to his opponent’s first ace of the match, to hold serve with a forehand into space after Djokovic misses a lob.
John McEnroe says on Eurosport, “He didn’t do enough with that swinging volley, so Alcaraz had a clear shot.” “He’s all pumped up.”
Alcaraz 1-4 DjokovicDjokovic makes a rare mistake: he double-faults! It doesn’t matter much, though, because he’s up 40-15 when he makes a mistake and is in dominating form.
You probably could have guessed this from the most awaited game of the tournament, but some of the exchanges in the first five games have made the crowd even louder than they were before the games started. Alcaraz 1-3 Djokovic
Novak Djokovic, who is by far the more experienced player, has been the more confident and calm one so far in this match. Now, the break he’s been threatening comes true!
Carlos Alcaraz misses a drop shot in the first point of this game, but he gets it back and moves ahead. Two points later, after a great battle, both players race to the net, where Djokovic does a forehand he isn’t allowed to do to set up a break point, which he threatens with a drop shot of his own.
Alcaraz uses all of his speed and agility to get to it, but Djokovic hits a volley over him and moves ahead by two games. He raises his arm in joy.
*Alcaraz 1-2 Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is in a bit of trouble when he hits a strong forehand that is easily too long and gives Carlos Alcaraz a 30-30 tie. This is because the prodigy’s radar was off during the first few shots.
Djokovic wins the hold with a beautiful shot and a winner from a tight angle. Alcaraz 1-1 Djokovic
After Djokovic hits a few tricky forehands to tie the score at 15-15, Carlos Alcaraz hits a few amazing shots.
Djokovic misses a shot during a rally, which gives Alcaraz the lead at first. The world number one then takes advantage of this to tie the score at 1-1 as the house band starts playing.
Alcaraz 0-1 Djokovic*: After four easy points for Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz’s good backhand stops what was almost a perfect first set for the two-time winner.
“If something goes wrong in this next game, it might wipe that smile off Alcaraz’s face,” says John McEnroe, who does analysis for Eurosport.
Djokovic got off to a strong start.
Carlos Alcaraz 0-0 Novak Djokovic* Djokovic will serve first. Here we go!
10 minutes to go: Novak Djokovic has said that Rafael Nadal comes to mind when he looks at Carlos Alcaraz. He said, “He brings a lot of energy to the court.”
“There’s no question that he deserves to do well. He’s only 20, but he works hard and is already a very rounded player.
15 minutes to go: Mats Wilander knows what it takes to win the French Open because from 1982 to 1988, he did it every three years. Wilander told Eurosport, “Carlos Alcaraz has set the professional tennis world on fire.”
“More and more people are talking about him. He has been great at strategy without changing who he is on the tennis court. It’s amazing to sit and watch him live. He comes out of nowhere and hits the forehand so hard it’s almost like he doesn’t care about the game. He doesn’t mind if people cheer for the other guy because we all want to see more of Carlitos. I can’t believe that he said he has a lot of trust. That is amazing. He is coming out with these words before he plays Novak Djokovic. When you play someone you’ve already beaten a few times, but they haven’t played that many times, it’s different.
“That’s just crazy. He is not like us. When you see a talent like Carlos Alcaraz, you have hope for people.”
30 minutes to go: Alex Corretja, who has been in the finals of the French Open twice, sees two guys who are playing well. “We’ve been waiting for the match since the first day,” he told Eurosport. “It’s possible to be let down when you have such high hopes.”But both of them played very well to get to the playoffs. Carlos did a great job against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals, and Novak was smart enough not to get too tired before this event.
“His level has gone up a lot during Roland-Garros, and now he’ll be in the semifinals in a great spot to fight and ready for a big fight.”
45 minutes to go: Juan Carlos Ferrero, who won the French Open in 2003, is Alcaraz’s teacher. “We know Novak a lot,” the former number one in the world says.
“We’ll try to plan for the strategy situations we’ll face during the game, like whether it will be hard and what you should do if you don’t play as well as you have on other days. He’s ready in every way.”
Ferrero says that Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and the now-retired Roger Federer show how to be the best when it comes to “attitude and being motivated for every tournament.”
“But technically, it’s impossible to copy them,” he says. “Carlos has his own skills, and every day I try to help them grow and get better. He’s very natural, and all I want to do is make him one of the best in the world.”
1 hour to go: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ coverage of the most anticipated match at Roland-Garros so far this year!
The fact that Rafael Nadal, who was almost unbeatable in Paris, was hurt this year and couldn’t play has added to the appeal of the top two players in the world meeting before the final. Nadal is the only player to have beaten Novak Djokovic at a grand slam since 2021, but Djokovic is about to face what many think will be the toughest test of his record: Carlos Alcaraz, the 20-year-old world number one who has amazing shot-making skills and is being hailed as Djokovic and Nadal’s successor at the top of the sport.
We’ve heard that about a lot of young players, but if Djokovic can get past Alcaraz, he should have an easier time in the final against Casper Ruud or Alexander Zverev as he tries to win his third French Open. If Djokovic wins this year, he will directly take advantage of Nadal’s bad luck by getting to 23 grand slam titles, one more than Nadal.
How to watch the French Open in the United States in 2023
Tennis fans in the US can watch the 2023 French Open on TV in a number of different ways. This is because this year, the event will be shown on NBC, Peacock, and the Tennis Channel.
There are also different ways to live stream the game in the United States. The event will be shown on Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, Fubo, Sling TV, Peacock, YouTube TV, Tennis Channel Plus, and Tennis Channel Plus.
How to watch the 2023 French Open in the UK
- TV channel: Eurosport
- Live stream: discovery+
The French Open will be shown live on Eurosport, as it has been for a few years. All the action from all the games will be shown live on either Eurosport 1 or Eurosport 2.
Tennis fans in the UK who want to watch the action will have to sign up for discovery+. Entertainment & Sport is the right plan for the event. It costs £6.99 a month or £59.99 a year. You can also pay an extra fee to add the same deal to any Amazon Prime account.
How to watch the 2023 French Open in Australia
- TV channel: 9Gem
- Live stream: Stan Sport, 9Now
The French Open in 2023 will be shown live and for free on 9Gem.
Every day, coverage will begin at 6:30 pm AEST and last until the early hours of the morning. Nine’s Wide World of Sports team, which includes Roz Kelly, Todd Woodbridge, Jelena Dokic, Samantha Stosur, Brenton Speed, and Brett Phillips, will comment on certain events.
Australian tennis fans can pay to watch all of the action on Stan Sport, which has streaming choices. Fans in Australia can also watch the game for free on 9Now, which will stream the regular free-to-air feed.
How to watch the 2023 French Open in Canada
- TV channel: RDS, TSN
- Live stream: TSN Direct
The French Federation for Tennis signed a deal with RDS and TSN to show the event live. This means that fans in Canada can watch the action on both channels.
Tennis fans in Canada who want to watch the event online can use TSN Direct.
How to watch the 2023 French Open in India
- TV channel: Sony TEN
- Live stream: SonyLiv
Tennis fans in India only have a few options when it comes to catching all of the action at the 2023 French Open.
Sony TEN will show the games on TV, but fans will need a SonyLiv ticket to stream them.
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