Carlos Alcaraz deservedly beat Novak Djokovic in four sets in today’s final.
But John McEnroe still noted that he would have done things differently.
Even though the trophy is now in his hands, there were moments during the tournament when it looked like the chance might slip away from him.
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Djokovic easily won the first set, putting Alcaraz under real pressure early on.
What happened after the first set, though, caught McEnroe’s attention, especially how Alcaraz adjusted his approach to turn the match around.
Carlos Alcaraz makes mistake early in final
Photo by Zhang Lintao/Getty Images
Speaking live on ESPN, the American praised the Spaniard’s courage and strength during the match.
Still, he criticized the initial lack of energy, saying: “I think that’s actually the type of game he should be playing in the first place.
“Maybe he was affected by that five-and-a-half-hour game in the heat and he wasn’t able to do that, but as his body relaxed and he started to do his thing, obviously, it paid off hugely in the end.”
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Patrick McEnroe later praised Alcaraz’s tactical awareness, saying: “Yeah, I mean, I think his tactical awareness is outstanding. You’ve got to give him and his team credit for that.”
“We know his shooting ability. We just know pure talent. We saw his grit and determination against Zverev, in the heat and with cramps.
“But I think we saw some really high tennis IQ. We talked about this guy during the tournament, so now he’s 22 years old and he’s got seven Grand Slams.”
Alcaraz thanked Djokovic in his post-match speech. This comes after the Serbian himself gave an interesting speech suggesting he may not return to Melbourne.
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Carlos Alcaraz gets lucky against Novak Djokovic
It can be said that Carlos Alcaraz had good luck in the Australian Open final.
Novak Djokovic, having just overcome fatigue from a lengthy semifinal two days earlier, started well but could not maintain the intensity. That drop gave Alcaraz an opportunity, and he made sure to seize it.
The Serbian won the first set, controlling the match with his forehand and forcing Alcaraz to chase. But as the game progressed, his level dropped significantly.
Alcaraz’s energy never wavered, which ultimately proved decisive.
It’s not his best performance by any measure, but he’s done enough to cross the line. Still, there’s no doubt that Djokovic benefited from his decline as the match progressed.
