Carlos Alcaraz has admitted that Novak Djokovic’s first-round exit from the US Open came as a major surprise after he watched the fifth set of the Serbian’s defeat by Mariano Navone.
Alcaraz spoke after beginning his own campaign with a win over Roman Safiullin at Flushing Meadows.
Djokovic’s defeat was his first in the opening round of the US Open, a result Alcaraz said showed how difficult it is to progress through a Grand Slam.
“I saw the fifth set. And well, obviously it was the first time that Novak lost the first round here in this tournament. So it’s a big surprise, to be honest,” Alcaraz said at a press conference. “Someone like Novak going out in the tournament in the first round, it’s surprising.”
Djokovic’s exit could give Alcaraz a clearer path to the semi-finals in his section of the draw, but the Spaniard said he was not thinking that far ahead. “You say it was in my part of the draw, but, you know, he was in the semi. So for me, the semi is too far away. So I just try to be on my run,” he said.
The four-time Grand Slam champion also spoke about the physical challenge of returning to best-of-five-set tennis.
“The body gets used to not playing five sets. When you get back to that rhythm of competition, a Grand Slam, well, physically, you think, if you’re going to hold on or not,” Alcaraz said.
