Key events
The difference in that second set, I think, was Djokovic’s ability to hit the baseline or close to it with his returns. And he quickly makes 40-15 serving first in the third, but when a backhand floats wide, there’s a little bit of pressure … all the more so when he opts not to pursue a pretty high drop. From there, though, Djokovic quickly closes out, a cunning serve onto the back of the line securing the game. He leads 4-6 6-4 1-0.
Now then: Alcaraz goes long, then tries a higher ball, but Djokovic waits for it, rides it, and punishes a leaping forehand winner down the line for 0-30! Naturally a tremendous return follows right on to the line, and Alcaraz can’t backpeddle fast enough to reset; three set points coming up! And Djokovic only needs one, making room absorbing a body-serve to smoke a backhand winner down the line and level the match at 4-6 6-4! Djokovic is an absolute djoke, one of the greatest competitors we’ve ever seen in any sport. Enjoy him while you still can, people.
Djokovic comes in but can’t close off the net and another hooked forehand leaves him helpless. So up 0-15, Alcaraz comes in off a second-serve return – “crush and rush,” says Tim Henman in co-comms – but then nets his volley. Then, at 15-all, Alcaraz is forced into a defensive lob, so Djokovic soars to flick backhand overhead winner that’s all wrist; what an absolute master he is, just obscene in every aspect of the game. And from there, he closes out – just, Alcaraz missing by fractions with a backhand down the line. He’ll now serve to stay in the second set at 6-4 4-5.
An ace makes 40-0 and from there Alcaraz quickly closes out for 6-4 4-4.
“It is interesting to note that the commentary from this match today is so similar to that of Djokovic’s past matches last year,” emails Niall O’Keefe. That he is soldiering on with an injury. That is the reason he is not on top. But he only grimaces with ‘pain’ when he loses a shot. He seems pain-free when hitting winners, and he cannot be really injured too bad if he can get to so quickly the last few drop shots from Alcaraz. Mind games I think. 0 3 down. Now 3-3. No grimacing at end of the last game. Still hope he wins though!”
I know what you mean but I do think he’s a little hampered on the backhand side and has changed tactics since getting hurt, looking to shorten the points. I don’t think he does that if he’s moving freely.
Djokovic, though, is still bang in this match. What’s striking about his performance so far is how effortlessly he toggles between strategies, forced by injury to attack earlier so doing so like it’s nothing. And he holds quickly here, though it’s to 30, and he leads 4-3 in set two – one, you feel, he must win if he’s to have a chance of winning the match.
At 30-0, Alcaraz nets a forehand, but Djokovic narrowly misses a forehand down the line – one he might not’ve attempted were his leg not giving him gyp. No matter; we soon arrive at deuce and when Djokovic unloads the suitcase on a backhand, aided by the wind, the response flies wide and offers break point. Alcaraz, though, is so calm under pressure and, as they contest another sapping rally, its 15th shot is a drop, and though this time, Djokovic runs it down, all he can do is set up a winner for deuce. And Alcaraz soon makes advantage, Djokovic grimacing as he lands after firing a futile forehand … but then chases down a drop, his leaping backhand overhead, responding to a lob, catching the net-cord and dropping! So back to deuce we go, then again when Alcaraz overhits, and a double donates a second break point! For all the good it does him, Alcaraz banging a flat ace out wide, and these games are something; Djokovic immediately takes over the next point with a terrific return, but superb defence prompts the unforced error, the another drop is too good. Alcaraz secures a crucial hold to lead 6-4 3-3 and again, the sense is that whatever he needs to do, he’ll do.
Every Djokovic service-point is an occasion now and at 15-30 there follows a conflab with the umpire after a let is called, Alcaraz suggesting she was swayed by the Serb stopping mid-point. Then, at 30-all, Djokovic overhits, and though his leg might be distracting him, that’s something he’s doing more often these days. Either way, it’s break point, and when he comes in, Alcaraz hits at him hard enough for him to be unable to control his volley. That’s the break back and, as we discussed earlier, it feels like however close this gets, the younger man will ultimately do whatever he needs to do to win. He leads 6-4 2-3.
Alcaraz rushes through a hold for 6-4 1-3, and Djokovic will feel like he’s barely had a break from serving.
Who saw so powerful a return-game coming from Djokovic there? He’s trying to curtail points now, and maybe that bit of adversity – losing set one and injuring himself in the process – has got him dialled in. He makes 40-15 with an ace, but forced to play an extra ball by Alcaraz’s excellent defence, he nets, then, trying to outhit then almost, er, unouthittable, he nets again, bringing us to deuce. A service-winner follows, then a tremendous point, finished by Djokovic at the net, and whether forced or not, the tactic of getting off first is working nicely. Alcaraz lads 6-4 0-3.
A backhand return carted down the line makes Djokovic 15-all, but Alcaraz is loving his hooked forehand and another restores his advantage in the game. A netted backhand, though, presents 30-all – so far, Alcaraz has only won 3/10 second-serve points – and we see the difference again immediately, a first delivery landing and setting up the winner, then a second allowing Djokovic to punish a forehand return cross-court for one of his own and deuce. Then, another forehand-return-winner, this time to a first serve, raises break point, before a forehand winner down the line seals the deal! A fantastic game (of tennis) from the 10-time champ, who leads 2-0 in the second – as he did in the first.
Up 15-0, Djokovic tries some serve and volley, perhaps to shorten the point, and it works well, making 30-0, then an ace curling away on to the T secures a swift love hold. He needed that, but Alcaraz leads 6-4 0-1.
Very quickly, Alcaraz makes 30-0, the way he gradually brought himself to the boil very impressive. A service-winner follows, then an ace down the T, for which Djokovic doesn’t even move. Alcaraz leads 6-4 and I can’t see a way he doesn’t win from here – all the more so given Djokovic is hampered by injury, especially on the backhand side.
We see a bit of Pavlyuchenkova’s press conference and she says she’s really disappointed. She didn’t know what to expect and started poorly, also struggling with the conditions and playing night on Laver. But she got some momentum in the second set though it was really windy … and Djokovic is back, left thigh strapped, so here we go, first set in the balance.
So Alcaraz, waiting to serve for the first set, must sit about getting cold. His play, though, is of increasing warmth, and I’m not certain Djokovic has the tools to contain him now.
Djokovic disappears to be treated. He seems to have a problem with his left leg, not something you need when playing the embodiment, acme and apotheosis of youthful vigour.
Alcaraz does well to take control of the first point in the game but is too casual with his putaway volley and Djokovic springs in to flip a winner down the line. But a hooked forehand is too good and raises 15-all, then Alcaraz ups the pace on the forehand before the change-up drop facilitates the forehand pass – after which Djokovic stretches gingerly. Then, picking the wrong corner and hitting to the one Alcaraz occupies, he’ll have feared the worst … but the forehand down the line drops just long, making 30-all. And when a big second serve is followed by a forehand error, we move to deuce, Alcaraz again turning it up, this time on the backhand, to make advantage, and this controlled aggression might be the difference in this match. Djokovic, though, gives break point everything, dictating from the back before finding a lovely angle on the cross-court forehand, a cleanup backhand to the same corner restoring deuce. This is getting serious now, Alcaraz earning a second break point with a backhand winner, Djokovic saving it with more refined hitting … before shanking one when caught flat-footed and, as Alcaraz again hits more potently from the back, Djokovic lashes well wide and calls for the physio. Alcaraz leads 5-4 in the first, with a break!
Down 15-30 and ceding too many unforced errors, Alcaraz finds a decent T-serve that Djokovic can’t return, then gulls him again with a well-disguised drop before a netted return seals the hold and 4-4. As we arrive at the business end of the set, pressure mounts.
Djokovic looks to keep Alcaraz moving, quickly making 40-0, but an ill-disguised drop is easily chased down and eased back into the corner. But a backhand swiped just wide hands over another hold, and Djokovic leads 4-3 in the first. Neither man is seriously threatening at the moment, though Alcaraz’s greater firepower looks a greater threat than Djokovic’s gresater consistency.
Alcaraz nets a backhand for 15-all but then curls a forehand winner into the space Djokovic has just vacated after chasing a wide serve. A double, though, takes us to 30-all, and when Alcaraz nets to end a backhand corner to backhand corner rally, he faces deuce. A drop then raises advantage, Djokovic nets a return, and we’re level at 3-3 in set one.
Up 15-0, Djokovic ups the pace on the forehand, so Alcaraz responds in kind, a leaping winner creamed down the line levelling the game. But at 40-15, Alcaraz chases a serve out wide and hooks a winner cross-court, then another decent return incites the error and takes us to deuce. Gradually, the younger man is asserting himself, but a good first serve and wrong-footing backhand give Djokovic advantage, then a T-serve secures a 3-2 lead. This is warming up nicely.
How do we feel about Alcaraz’s vest look? I guess it’s one of those that is acceptable on him because it’s him – competitive charisma and tennis genius can atone for a multitude of fashion faux pas – but he might also just make something already good even better. He rushes through a hold to level the first set at 2-2.
Aside from being a battle between two of tennis’ best players, it’s also a battle between of its most remorseless, relentless, heads of hair. Of course, Alcaraz needs his to sustain for another 16 years to start talking, but the portents are good, the coverage unerring. Anyroad, he makes 30-all then does well to return a testing T-serve, a wide forehand riposte handing him a point to secure an immediate break-back. The longest rally of the match doth then ensue, Alcaraz biding time – not words you often see deployed in succession – before pasting a backhand winner down the line for 1-2. That’s a great sign for him: getting back into the set immediately without having to play that well.
Eeesh, Alcaraz takes control of his first-service point with a mahoosive serve but, made to hit an extra ball by Djokovic’s desperate return, he nets his forehand putaway … then a long forehand means he faces 0-30, the wind confiscating his spin. But a ridiculous get, on the stretch, sees Alcaraz somehow reach, control and land a drop-volley; Djokovic applauds. But a third unforced error in the game hands over break point at 30-40, and already, this is intense and intensifying; good! Then Alcaraz goes long on another forehand, and Djokovic leads 2-0 without having had to do very much.
This match isn’t just a match. If Alcaraz wins comfortably, it might be time to wonder whether Djokovic’s time as a grand-slam contender is over; he’s not won one since the 2023 US Open. And even if he does win, will he be able to beat Alexander Zverev then Jannik Sinner, which is what he’ll probably need to do to lift the trophy? If he can, it’ll be one of the all time great achievements, even by Djokovic’s stratospheric standards; he holds to 30 to lead 1-0.
We’re ready, Djokovic to serve, and … play.
This match, says Coach Calv, “will come down to who is striking it better and have to feel that will be Alcaraz.”
He’ll be relieved to know I’m in agreement; Djokovic isn’t quite as consistent a hitter as he once was, but he might do better with the wind because he’s not looking to do as much with the ball and will be more experienced in handling such conditions.
But here come our players on to Laver, so what’s going to happen?
But before we get on to that, we must credit Pavlyuchenkova, who played wonderfully well for a set and a bit. If she can maintain that level she can be a serious proposition in women’s tennis; not many are equipped to give Sabalenka fits like that.
Coming up next: Novak Djokovic (7) v Carlos Alcaraz (3)!
Sabalenka says she was just praying, trying to put the ball back in tough conditions – they both were. Pavlyuchenkova played great and she’s happy she was able to magically win this match, thanking the crowd for their support and saying they can now enjoy Djokovic v Alcaraz, which will be better tennis. I dunno, it’ll have to go some to be more absorbing than the match we’ve just seen, but I guess she’s not happy with how she played.
Asked about losing a set at this competition for the first time since 2023, she says sometimes it’s good to be tested and she can’t wait to play Paula. And finally, asked about her tiger tatt, she says she had it a month before she was 18, was born in the year of the tiger, and was dreaming of getting it for six months so did. Now, it’s a reminder never to give up, to stay aggressive, hungry and to push yourself whatever’s going on in your life. Rybakina got one after winning Wimbledon, she says, and if she wins she’ll spike her team’s drinks then have a tattoo artist come and sort them out while they’re sleeping.
Next for Sabalenka: Paulo Badosa. That should be a fantastic match because Badosa is another able to hit with anyone. She’s in the form of her life and the Pavlyuchenkova template – don’t retreat, hit flat and hard into the spaces – is one she can adapt for herself.
Aryna Sabalenka beats Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 2-6 6-3
A fantastic performance from Pavlyuchenkova who couldn’t quite play well enough for long enough. So the champ found a way, but the recipe for beating her is now there for all to see: play two full sets of perfect tennis.
A return goes long, then Sabalenka nets, then a return goes long; 30-15. A brutal serve down the T then sets up the forehand putaway, and the champ has two match points…