Novak Djokovic extinguishes Carlos Alcaraz and offers himself a ninth ATP Masters final

The steamroller has resumed its march forward. Less imperial since the start of the ATP Masters, with four sets left along the way and a defeat, world number 1 Novak Djokovic regained his senses in the semi-finals, Saturday November 18 in Turin (Italy). Facing the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, world number 2, the Serb won in 1h28 of play (6-3, 6-2). With this success, he qualified for his ninth ATP Masters final.

The last two confrontations between the two players – during the Wimbledon final, won by Carlos Alcaraz, and that of the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati won by Novak Djokovic – had given rise to peaks of intensity. But this semi-final in Turin, which looked like a final, between the world numbers 1 and 2 clearly turned to the Serb’s advantage in the middle of the first set.

Djokovic’s Imperial Defense

Solid on his serve, with 10 aces and 85% of first serves in the match, Carlos Alcaraz lost his means when he had to defend his game on his second ball. Above all, against him, Novak Djokovic showed himself to be imperial in defense. Calmly, the latter erased the four break points he had to defend, particularly in the second set when the Murcian seemed to find momentum, reinvigorated by two superb consecutive points.

In the final, Novak Djokovic will meet Jannik Sinner, who fought for 2 hours 29 minutes, in front of an audience won over to his cause, to beat the Russian Daniil Medvedev (6-3, 6-7, 6-1). Earlier in the week, the Italian, world number 4, had inflicted on the Serbian… his sixth defeat of the year during a very close match (7-5, 6-7, 7-6). Guaranteed to end the year as world number 1 for the eighth time in his career, Nole will aim for his seventh title of the season and above all a seventh victory in the “Masters Tournament”, a record.