Are Carlos and Jannik too young and strong for Djokovic and Zverev?
BY JAMES BECK
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner seem to be in a class of their own.
They have won all eight Grand Slams in the last two years, so four of them each.
No wonder they are the top two seeds at this Australian Open. But it’s quite likely that one of them will break the tie – at least for now.
Ahead of Tuesday-Wednesday’s quarterfinals, only Lorenzo Musetti and Ben Shelton appeared capable of preventing a possible ninth straight Grand Slam final clash between Alcaraz and Sinner. But both failed relatively easily in the quarterfinals.
DJOKOVIC SURVIVES AGAIN
Musetti’s hopes ended when a leg injury interrupted his quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic and Shelton was simply outclassed by Sinner’s big game. Yes, even bigger than 23-year-old Shelton’s.
And here I was thinking that Shelton was the youngest of the group. But Alcaraz is only 22 years old and may already be the king of the game if you ignore Sinner’s impressive arsenal of powerful punches.
Of course, Djokovic is still there, thanks to the losing streak of his last two opponents and his exit from the hottest Grand Slam paving the way for his 54thTh Journey to a Grand Slam semifinal.
Djokovic hasn’t even won a set in the last two rounds, but he now has two wins from 25Th Grand Slam title. He will now face Sinner in the semi-finals. Djokovic’s only hope is for Sinner to give up, unlike a few rounds earlier when he was saved by walkovers in the round of 16 and quarter-finals.
Novak almost went home
“I was on my way home tonight. He (Lorenzo Musetti) should have been a winner tonight,” Novak said after the Italian exited with a 6-4, 6-3, 1-3 lead over Djokovic.
It was late, too late for Novak Djokovic to officially retire from the game. The clock in my office in Charleston, SC was approaching 2 a.m. In Melbourne, Australia it was much later, a world away.
The man who co-wrote the Australian Open chapter of many seasons. The master of the hard courts Down Under. Novak is the right one, but it might be too late.
LOOKING FOR A 25THTH SLAM TITLE
Djokovic is at an age where many professional tennis players prefer to enjoy their luck in the Road Laver Arena. His chances of winning are 25Th Main titles are not good.
Of course, third seed Alexander Zverev is still in the fight after beating back the impressive young American Learner Tien in the quarterfinals. But Zverev’s chances of defeating Alcaraz aren’t much better than Novak’s chances of defeating Sinner.
It just looks like another showdown between Alcaraz and Sinner.
PEGULA COULD BE READY FOR A GRAND SLAM TITLE
Pay attention to the American Jessica Pegula. She is approaching her 32nd birthdaynd Birthday and in another Grand Slam semi-final.
Just as Pegula defeated red-hot 24-year-old American Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-6 (1), things could get interesting in the semifinals against 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina ended Iga Swiatek’s hopes of winning a career Grand Slam for now.
And then there’s always the powerful Aryna Sabalenka to worry about.
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PrimeNewsDesk was the 2003 USTA National Media Award winner for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.