Novak Djokovic is one win away from a record 23rd men’s major title after defeating Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the French Open final in a match that was hampered by the Spaniard’s injury.
Alcaraz ended the dramatic match at one set apiece by quitting early in the third set due to cramps.
Carlos Alcaraz struggling with cramps in the French Open semi-final clash against Djokovic.
The 20-year-old Spanish tennis star tried to continue with the game despite his poor fitness level while Serbia’s Djokovic took advantage of the circumstance to win 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1.
After the win, Djokovic said in his on-court interview: “First and foremost I have to say tough luck to Carlos.
“At this level, the last thing you want is cramps and physical problems. I feel for him, I feel sorry, I hope he can recover and come back pretty soon.
“He knows how young he is, he’s got plenty of time ahead of him and he will win this tournament many times.”
On Sunday, the 36-year-old Djokovic will compete against either Alexander Zverev or Casper Ruud in the final of the French Open.
Zverev, the 22nd seed from Germany, is back in the semi-finals after suffering a catastrophic ankle injury on the court at the same stage of the competition last year.
Interestingly, the top seed Alcaraz’s problem was not as significant as the German’s injury, which kept him from competing for several months.
