Jim Courier on Novak Djokovic’s historic win over Carlos Alcaraz: ‘We have just seen what Novak could have….’

Novak Djokovic returned from a acceptable down and a insignificant wounded to decision Carlos Alcaraz successful the quarterfinal of the Australian Open connected Tuesday. (AP)

37-year-old Djokovic had mislaid the opening acceptable 4-6 earlier helium won the adjacent 3 sets successful the quarter-final against Alcaraz to participate his 50th Grand Slam semi-finals. Djovokic archetypal played successful the Australian Open successful 2005 wherever helium mislaid to eventual victor Marat Safin successful the archetypal round. In 2006, the Serbian again suffered a first-round nonaccomplishment successful the Australian Open erstwhile helium mislaid against Paul Goldstein of USA successful the archetypal round. It was besides the past clip that the Serbian mislaid successful the archetypal circular of a Grand Slam successful his vocation to date. The Serbian has truthful acold won 94 matches successful the Australian Open with 9 losses. Andy Murray’s erstwhile manager Mark Petchey termed Djokovic benignant of play successful the quarter-final arsenic ‘ultra-aggressive. “The wounded that Novak sustained midway done the opening set, we were wondering what that was going to do.

But each it did was flick a power successful him, that allowed him to play the benignant of tennis that we ne'er truly see. He was truthful ultra-aggressive connected returns, a spot similar Andre Agassi. “I mean, helium virtually conscionable stepped successful and lasered returns. And what it said to each of us, it’s similar this guy’s won 24 majors and he’s played wrong himself. He’s played wrong himself! There was different cogwheel past nighttime that cipher other has seen earlier from Novak, and he’s bully capable to beryllium capable to nutrient it and not miss. His instrumentality was truthful ascendant against Carlos’s 2nd serve…He conscionable went atomic disconnected returns and Carlos wasn’t capable to unrecorded with them,” Petchey told Stan Sport’s Grand Slam Daily.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts during his quarterfinal lucifer against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain astatine the Australian Open tennis title successful Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo)

The Serbian has besides struggled with injuries successful caller years with a abdomen teardrop successful 2021 and a hamstring wounded successful 2023 and has made a comeback. The Serbian volition present look German Alexander Zverev successful the semi-final. “There’s tons of america that person looked astatine it, with the teardrop successful the ab (in 2021), the hamstring (in 2023), however has helium managed to bash this? He is truthful spiritual erstwhile it comes to these things. He is truthful overmuch astir the cells successful the assemblage re-healing, he’s got the powerfulness of the caput successful these moments. Novak is the champion that’s ever been and it’s worked for him. I don’t cognize the grade of the wounded but if you’re sitting successful Zverev’s camp, you person to expect him to spell retired determination and beryllium 100 per cent acceptable erstwhile it comes to Friday,” Petchey said.