Carlos Alcaraz’s cramping during his French Open semifinal defeat against Novak Djokovic on Friday has left many questioning the exact cause. The 20-year-old Spaniard believes that the stress he felt from playing against the 22-time Grand Slam champion on a huge stage was a significant factor in his cramping.
Alcaraz told reporters that the tension of the match made him feel really nervous. The first two sets were intense, with good rallies, tough rallies, dropshots, sprints, and rallies. He believes that the combination of these factors caused his cramping. Despite leveling the match to one set each, Alcaraz’s right leg cramped up at 1-1 in the third set. He said he “disappointed himself” with the manner of the defeat and will now lose the world No. 1 ranking to Djokovic should Djokovic go on to win the title on Sunday.
The first two sets lasted two hours and 18 minutes, with temperatures reaching 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Alcaraz recalled struggling with cramps during previous matches but said they were “not of this magnitude.” He started to cramp in his arm during the first set and second set, but in the third set, he started to cramp in every part of his body, including his arms. He found it challenging to move during the third and fourth sets.
Djokovic’s experience, this being his 45th Grand Slam semifinal, meant he was calmer than Alcaraz, who appeared rattled right from the start. Alcaraz said it’s not easy to play against Djokovic, who is a legend of the sport. Playing a semifinal of a Grand Slam induces a lot of nerves, especially when facing Djokovic.
Commentator Mats Wilander said Alcaraz’s style of play expends more energy than Djokovic. Wilander believes that Novak caused Alcaraz’s cramping, saying that the difference between how Novak moves around, even when he’s exhausted, and Carlitos is huge. Wilander has never seen this from Carlos, and Novak exposed a weakness in him. Carlos Alcaraz ran an average of 20 meters up to his cramping point, and they played 155 points, which is equivalent to 3000 meters or 30 x 100-meter sprints in two hours. Alcaraz sprints for everything, while Novak is smoother and reads the game better.
Djokovic said he could understand why Alcaraz felt stressed. He experienced this several times early in his career when he was struggling physically. Djokovic believes that the emotions and circumstances that affect a player mentally and emotionally could cause cramping. Being in one of the greatest tournaments in the world, Alcaraz was expected to win for the first time in his career. He was not an underdog, chasing the title and trying to win against a favorite. It was probably the other way around, and this could have affected him.
Carlos Alcaraz’s cramping during his French Open semifinal against Novak Djokovic was caused by a combination of stress, tension, and the intensity of the match. His style of play, which expended more energy than Djokovic’s, could have also contributed to his cramping. Although the exact cause of his cramping remains uncertain, the experience has taught him a valuable lesson, and he hopes to approach his next game against Djokovic differently.
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