Did Djokovic bring back his 2023 level in his AO QF match against Alcaraz?

Did Djokovic bring back his 2023 level in his AO QF match against Alcaraz?

  • Yes

    Votes: 7 35.0%
  • No

    Votes: 13 65.0%

  • Total voters
    20

GrassMasters

New User
Look at Carlos's wins/losses since 2022. Yeah he's won 4 slams but he never really achieved consistency, kept losing to randoms. It's only Sinner now that is finally dependable. Also historically (in Carl's very long history that is), he hasn't been great at AO.
 

Rafa4LifeEver

G.O.A.T.
Djokopossum at AO is probably the best player that Alcaraz has lost to on a HC in the last 2,5 years.
Dude's a mess on this surface.
 
I don't remember what Djokovic's level was in 2023, but he was going for huge returns in the Alcaraz 2025 match because he was injured.
Djokovic knew his injury would make it hard for him to retrieve (and he couldn't play open-stance backhands anymore) so he went for big returns to end the points quickly!
I suspect Alcaraz would have won if Djokovic was healthy, because the longer rallies suited Alcaraz and that's why Alcaraz won the 1st Set 8-B
 

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
Look at Carlos's wins/losses since 2022. Yeah he's won 4 slams but he never really achieved consistency, kept losing to randoms. It's only Sinner now that is finally dependable. Also historically (in Carl's very long history that is), he hasn't been great at AO.
I agree with the consistency part, but not the Randoms. Botic at the USO last year was the only random loss.

He's been losing to top 5 players in Djokovic, Zverev and Medvedev.
 

tudwell

G.O.A.T.
I would say yes, basically he did. He brought a level he didn’t bring in any slam match in 2024, at least against decent opposition. (Looking at you, Mannarino.)

Considered a different way, I would say they were both considerably better in this quarterfinal than they were in 2023’s Cincinnati final. Their highest-quality hardcourt encounter yet, even if it was still far from perfect.
 
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The Blond Blur

G.O.A.T.
I agree with the consistency part, but not the Randoms. Botic at the USO last year was the only random loss.

He's been losing to top 5 players in Djokovic, Zverev and Medvedev.
The blatant omission and therefore by extension disrespect towards Berrettini will not be forgotten nor forgiven :mad:
giphy.gif
 

Winner Sinner

Hall of Fame
I would extend everything to the entire tournament before the semi-final with Zverev.
People underestimate his easy victories against the Czech duo Machac/Lehecka too much.

At the last Australian Open Djokovic demonstrated that if physically healthy he can still display an elite level.
Then it was difficult to quantify how close he was to his 2023 version.
I say that last year, obviously in addition to the Olympics, he also expressed a very high level in Shanghai.
He beat Fritz in the semi-final in straight sets in the best period of the American's career, despite a physical problem at the end of the second set.
And even in the final with Sinner the following day, the first set decided in the tiebreak was very balanced, had he won it perhaps the history of that final would have changed.

The current Djokovic's problem is not the maximum level he is still capable of reaching, but rather the continuity in expressing the aforementioned maximum level without his body starting to take its toll on him.
An aspect that is most emphasized in major 3 out of 5 tournaments.
 

aldeayeah

G.O.A.T.
The last couple sets were very good. The first two were mediocre (except that ROFLMAO game with the 3 return winners which was admittedly hilarious)
For the record, I think Alcaraz was good in the first set, quite off in the middle sets, better in the last set (but Djokovic was in lockdown mode)

I think the fact that this was a night match (and not only that, but Alcaraz's first night match in the tournament) was decisive. Because of the conditions, I had it pegged as a 50/50 match; I would have had Alcaraz as the favorite if it was a day match.
 

kangaroo1973

Semi-Pro
With all due respect to Novaxx, Carlos screwed up big time. His forehand return was unreliable, too many unforcies off both wings and he proved unable to adjust.
Djokovic as usual exposed his FH, like he had 6 months prior at Olympics. Alcaraz should have won this one in 4 sets against one leged Djokovic
 

FeroBango

Legend
With all due respect to Novaxx, Carlos screwed up big time. His forehand return was unreliable, too many unforcies off both wings and he proved unable to adjust.
Djokovic as usual exposed his FH, like he had 6 months prior at Olympics. Alcaraz should have won this one in 4 sets against one leged Djokovic
Both a testament to Novak's greatness and Carlos' peak muggery
 

kangaroo1973

Semi-Pro
One of his Achilles's heels.

CA's second serve forehand return, in particular, is unforgivably unreliable in what's otherwise a very potent return game.
His FH on the run is also notoriously unreliable. It is a great shot but with obvious flaws. Sinner has much better FH imo
 

jl809

Legend
honestly, what distinguished Djoker’s 2023 and 2024 levels if he had never faced Sinneraz? He was great against the next tier down - he stomped everyone at the AO including crushing Fritz even after wasting a million BPs. He had his usual rubbish IW performance and early clay season (both of these have sucked since 2018). Going 2-1 down against Musetti isn’t something we haven’t seen before (2021) and he beat Cerundolo in 5 on one leg.

Then he crushed everyone again at Wimbledon on one leg. Literally looked just like normal Djoker in the 4R and SF, moving great and playing with angst and fire. Beat up everyone at the Olympics before the final including another win over Loserpas, this time while barely moving in the 2nd set. I’d argue he was better in the 2 sets vs Raz at the Olympics than in the first 2 sets of RG 23. Yes, he sucked at the USO, but we all know this was on the Olympic comedown. Once he had got himself together, he played a great Shanghai… pre Sinner.

All I’m saying is outside of having to face Sinner on HC or Alcaraz on grass, rn he will probably continue to look pretty indistinguishable from “old Djoker” for a little while. And that includes against Raz (who is overrated on HC - right now he is where 06-07 Nadal is, streaky but not established yet) and may even include against Sinner on natural surfaces
 

Mustard

Bionic Poster
Possibly. On the odd day, Djokovic will still be able to. The problem as he gets older will be struggling to maintain that from match to match, or even within the same match.

Federer, in the 2015 Wimbledon semi final against Murray, for that one match, turned the clock back 10 years.
 

Megafanoftennis100

Professional
Possibly. On the odd day, Djokovic will still be able to. The problem as he gets older will be struggling to maintain that from match to match, or even within the same match.

Federer, in the 2015 Wimbledon semi final against Murray, for that one match, turned the clock back 10 years.
Not really. The only major difference between Federer's SF form and Finals form at 2015 Wimbledon was his serve, which was far better in the SF. When looking at his groundstrokes, volleys, movement, they were virtually the same.
 

Mustard

Bionic Poster
Not really. The only major difference between Federer's SF form and Finals form at 2015 Wimbledon was his serve, which was far better in the SF. When looking at his groundstrokes, volleys, movement, they were virtually the same.
It wasn't just the serve. The whole aura was like 10 years prior.
 

Racquet_smash

Professional
His serve was quite terrible during the 2nd half of the match and he was barely moving while returning and let several routine shots go as winners to avoid movement.

If anything it's Alcaraz who was embarassing.
 
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