(Paris) Novak Djokovic, kneeling on the ground and withdrawn, all eyes are now on the Italian Jannick Sinner, next world No.1, and the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (3e), opposed in a fiery semi-final at Roland-Garros on Friday, already a classic despite their young age.
The Norwegian Casper Ruud (7e), finalist of the last two editions, will face the German Alexander Zverev (4e), in the other poster of the last square. So much so that one of these four players will add his name to the list for the first time on Sunday.
In the meantime, Sinner-Alcaraz is a bit of a final before the letter, as the rivalry between these 22 and 21 year old rough diamonds has already reached new heights. This will be their ninth duel and so far, each has four victories, almost always obtained through hard struggle.
PHOTO BERTRAND GUAY, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Carlos Alcaraz
If the Spaniard was the first to win a Grand Slam, the 2022 United States Open, then a second, Wimbledon 2023, the Italian followed suit in January, at the Australian Open, debunking Djokovic in the process.
Sinner was almost untouchable during the first quarter, as he also won in Rotterdam and Miami, conceding only one setback in 23 games, inflicted by… Alcaraz in the Indian Wells semi-final.
“The best tennis in the world”
On clay, the Italian then slowed down slightly, stopping in the semi-final in Monte-Carlo, before taking a three-week break due to a painful hip.
“It’s always very difficult against Jannik. And at the moment, he is playing the best tennis in the world… He (will be on Monday) the world No.1. It will be a difficult battle,” said “Carlitos” on Tuesday evening, after outclassing Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarters.
“You have to run a real marathon, from one side to the other. He doesn’t make any bad moves. Everything he does is well done. The way he hits the ball is absolutely incredible, the way he moves is fantastic. He pushes you to your limits on every ball,” he explained.
Sinner, whose first half at Roland-Garros it will be, did not have the opportunity to return the courtesy, but Tsitsipas took it upon himself to do it for him, full of praise, at the same time impressed and resigned.
“Carlos has a quality in his shots that I don’t see in others. I couldn’t find how to counter it, I never felt that on the court,” he breathed.
“An incredible tennis IQ”
“He controls the ball exceptionally well, he is able to change direction very easily. And the way he constructs the points, to find solutions, means that he has the answer to everything. He has an incredible tennis IQ. This kid is just too good,” added the Greek.
Between the two phenomena, the scene is set and the thrills guaranteed. Because their history proves that they are capable of Dantesque clashes, as was the case in the quarter-final of the United States Open in 2022, when Alcaraz had the last word, after 5:15 a.m. of a standoff which ended at almost 3 a.m.
With these two young champions, the long-awaited succession of the “Big3” is finally here, even if Djokovic has obviously not yet said his last word.
As for the intermediate generation, they are trying to find a place for themselves, like Zverev (27 years old) and Ruud (25 years old), who, by dint of flirting with the title in Paris, hope to finally conclude.
The German, who will play his fourth half in a row at Porte d’Auteuil, is progressing as best he can in this tournament, despite a complicated first round against Rafael Nadal for his probable last at Roland-Garros, two other trying matches snatched away in five sets, and his appeal trial for domestic violence which is currently taking place in Berlin.
It remains to be seen whether he will have enough freshness, physical and mental, for the “Ruud” fight that awaits him.