Carlos Alcaraz hit as good of a shot as you’ll ever see in the second set of his French Open semifinal match against Novak Djokovic. At 1-1 in the second set, Alcaraz came to net after a Djokovic drop shot before Djokovic hit a brilliant lob volley that seemed sure to end the point. Alcaraz remarkable not only tracked the ball down but he managed to get a racket on it and hit a winner with pace that painted the line. Djokovic could only smile and applaud the shot knowing there was truly nothing more that he could have done to win the point.
The combination of his movement, flexibility, power, and precision required to pull of the shot are all aspects that make Carlos Alcaraz great. Alcaraz had to run at an angle to be able to hit a forehand, find a way to hit the ball the complete opposite direction as he was running, then hit the ball barely above the court. The degree of difficulty to pull it off was very high, much less to hit a hard shot that painted the line and was essentially impossible for Djokovic to reach from the net. This shot was not only entertaining, but unlike some “circus” shots that make highlight reels, this was a technical display of skill leading to a stunning winner/
In Novak voice: NOT TOO BAD 🤯#RolandGarros | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/pHkwxrff4u
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 9, 2023
Shots like this and the battles between points made the first two sets of the Djokovic-Alcaraz semifinal tense and thrilling. This shot was the highlight of the match and based on the stage and opponent it is certainly a candidate for shot of the year to this point. The level of the match leading up to it could certainly have led to Alcaraz’s eventual cramping that cost him the final two sets. Having to play at such a high level and fight for long physical points are a different challenge especially against Djokovic. This likely played a factor in the cramping that prevented him from being competitive, but fans did get two excellent sets of tennis and one of the highlight’s of the tournament.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
