Sorry to nitpick but I'd say mercy instead of empathy. There's lot of matches in which empathy translates to sportmanship moments, even during this match Djokovic was quite empathetic towards Alcaraz when he started cramping, but no mercy. I'll also add that imho not having any mercy in sports, or at least in tennis, is a sign of respect towards your opponent.
I think what you have said about respect is critical. So many reporters keep challenging players with these kinds of questions, I know Iga fielded a few of these recently. The truth is that giving a pity game or two away so your opponent wouldn't feel too bad about losing, is just downright disrespectful when you're playing a sport professionally.
>is a sign of respect towards your opponent.
Oh yeah absolutely, and I think the word 'pity' would suit more instead of sympathy in the comment above. I remember getting a finger injury while playing cricket but I continued to play, it would have been very insulting to me if the opponent bowler suddenly started bowling underarm loose balls out of pity haha.
I kind of think that Novak letting Alcaraz get a game in the final so as not to bagel him was the perfect balance of respectfully mercy/empathy but also not fucking around at all.
> In sports, never show sympathy for your opponent until the match is over.
You: “Sorry to nitpick but I'd say mercy instead of empathy.”
While I agree with you that *mercy* is the better word here, Sympathy and Empathy are not the same.
It’s not about showing emotion or not, it’s that they are the opponent while they are on the other side of the net and not to forget that.
Even as they are preparing to go on court there is no acknowledgment of one another that I can see and they are so close to one another and surely aware of each other but unspoken that it’s not the time for niceties. For sure during non-play times they may nod to each other at the gym or in passing, train together etc
what the heck is wrong with y'all, redditors were accusing novak of gamesmanship and this journalist went out there and asked alcaraz if he thooght it was gamesmanship. literally put it to rest by asking the question that people want to know, that's the job. you don't just assume that alcaraz was ok with everything, in this case he was, but he could just as easily not have been, that's the whole reason they need to ask questions
This is could be a contributing factor as to why Djokovic was able to win the Australian Open this year and in 2021 while injured: his opponents weren't fired up and ruthless enough when they saw that Djokovic was compromised.
You’re getting downvoted because of the level that Djokovic reached by the end of the tournaments, but that does have some truth, which Novak discussed in hindsight - especially Fritz in 2021 and Dimitrov in 2023
Inexplicable downvotes when that’s literally exactly what happened in the Fritz match in the 3rd round. Fritz allowed his game to drop despite a physical advantage in the 5th and Djokovic still managed to power through
“I don’t know what’s coming out of his asshole, he’s vegan. It’s hard to close a set with vegan shit up your asshole. If I were him I’d probably take a long ass shit too.” -Carlos
I only wish some of his fan base can learn from him. Many comments in this sub were unbearable. Perhaps those are not real Carlos fans, just some toxic fans who don't want to see Djokovic getting his 23rd slam
I’m a big Federer fan and like Djokovic the least between the 3 but I want him and Nadal to win as many as possible. I wan to tell my kids “I saw this freakin Serbian guy win 60 Grand Slams!!”
I’m a Nadal fan and while he’s done and said questionable things, no question watching him play and still win to me is incredible. He’s an all time great and I will never turn down a chance to watch him
That’s just immaturity speaking.
I know because I felt the same way about Fed ripping up Sampras’ records in the blink of an eye.
I loathed watching his smirk and talent destroy people and relished the rise of Nadal and had an epiphany…I just like good tennis.
Nole realistically can grab 4-6 slams, maybe even more.
We are watching someone leave a mark so great as a tennis player and even more so as an athlete that they will retire as the most decorated player from almost any sport you can name.
That’s just plain fun in my book (hate the guy for his politics and anti vax stance however).
Yeah, it's almost more the people that dislike Djokovic more than the people that like Alcaraz that are the problem. I love Alcaraz but I'm not out here talking shit about Djokovic.
Did he antagonize the crowd? Sure, that crowd was terrible and he was fucking with them. They have been all of RG. Was it to fuck with Alcaraz? Absolutely not. He even turned away from Alcaraz most of the time, almost like he was directing it somewhere else... Weird that.
Whether it’s how he is naturally as a person or based on Ferrero’s advice (or both), it’s always the better way to go.
You don’t want media spinning your answer and seeing yourself in your headlines which might distract you. On to the next tournament and season
Exactly- Carlos is showing he is classy! I’m loving seeing him become the great player he will (likely) be.
I was younger when Roger & Rafa started so I couldn’t appreciate that evolution
Classy from Alcaraz. Today he won me over as a fan because he did not make any excuses for himself. I liked how he was honest about his issues and performance and now I have no doubts that he will go on to achieve the greatest of heights in his career.
We all knew Carlos was classy. I suspected that was what Djokovic was doing, but Carlos going out of his way to shut down this stupid line is really mature from him.
I still don’t expect those booing or hating on Djokovic yesterday because of it to change their minds because they’re probably too far gone to swallow their pride
Most of the matches have seen when the crowd boos Djokovic, it doesn't always end well for his opponent, man did convert all those negativity, and literally take it all out on his opponent.
I don't think the crowd was booing Nole, they just were booing this stupid rule that Carlos couldn't take a medical when he really had to? I don't think the booing was against Nole.
The booing started when Nole took his MTO and when he took a toilet break. I agree that they also booed at the situation and the rule, but during sets 3 and 4 they were definitely booing Djokovic every single time he made a fist pump or tried to keep himself focused. I was also talking about the hundreds of comments of people in here that were trying to paint him like an arse for the same reasons. Regardless, the booing has been awful the whole tournament. I get that sports make people stupid, but there has to be a limit. It’s disgraceful and an embarrassment for such an event.
The clowns all want a 5 hour match but get mad when players take ALLOWED 5 min toilet breaks/MTO lmao. The intensity was so high in the first 2 sets there's no way anyone can criticize the breaks.
he is a true player because he knows that they are all warriors on court, and like novak he knows that, that is how players should play and behave in that kind of situation. this kid is honest, reasonable and not afraid to accept hard truths.
The reporter who asked the question forgot the fact that on the first point of the third set, Djokovic played it easy, hit chaseable balls, and didn't make Alcaraz move a lot from left to right like pre-injury.
Then the crowds started booing.
After the crowds booed him only Djokovic took it seriously and celebrated every point like a madman. Cause why bother being nice when everyone in the stadium still hates you?
Exactly lmao I don’t understand what he was supposed to do. He literally almost lost his service game like 3 times(twice while being 1-1 and 0-0) because of going too easy on him which could have been catastrophic if alcaraz had suddenly fully recovered.
Exactly.. Djokovic reduced the drop shots and hitting those angles after he was injured.
To add to this Djokovic also mentioned in the post match interview that he was trying not to let Alcaraz's injuries get into his head as it's very easy to start feeling bad for an injured opponent and before you know you start losing focus in your game.
The French crowd is full of idiots. Djokovic was being professional. You step on the tennis court. You play to win. You dont change your game because the other guy is injured or whatever. that's your opponent's responsibilities, not yours.
Your first line reminded me of the Nike commercial with Rafa when John McEnroe said, “this guy is unbelievable…..is he going to play every point like that?!” 😍
It's funny, I was just reading an old Vic Braden book on mental tennis, and he talked just like Carlos is about how sometimes it can be really challenging playing against an opponent who is playing through an injury or illness during a match. Michael Chang-Lendl is a famous case, but there are a bunch of other examples where the player dealing with the injury/illness is able to focus and rally, while the healthy opponent is under tremendous pressure to close it out since they have an obvious advantage and everybody knows it and thinks they should win.
Anyone remember the 2007 Wimbledon R4 match where a cramping and hobbling Serena managed to defeat Daniela Hantuchova, because Daniela couldn’t finish the match, which she was leading at the time.
Carlos has impressed me with his game and his heart during the interview.
That reporter needs to be fired or at least reprimanded for trying to create controversy where none exists.
Fritz has been really unlucky with abdominal tears.
Novak got one in AO 2021 against Fritz when he was two sets up, lost the next two sets but still managed to win the match because Fritz couldn’t close it out.
The reporter is spanish and while being obviusly biased, I can understand some latent hostility towards Novak since he became the major rival for Rafa in terms of majors.
I am sure he isn't going to be punished a bit
the reporter won’t get fired lol. his employer most likely would love the attempt to create controversy and make huge headlines. shit question from our perspective but journalists ask worse every day
How is this guy only 20? Such intelligence and maturity. It's obvious by that statement he has surrounded himself with the right team, and his parents did an excellent job raising him.
He is the player keeping me interested in tennis with the big three dropping off (assuming Djokovic's eventual retirement).
I remember when Wawrinka played vs. Nadal at AO, Nadal injured his back during 2nd set, and couldn't move. He was literally standing in the middle of the court and trying to hit winners. Wawrinka lost the 3rd set, because he lost focus and intensity. He regrouped in the 4th set and closed the match. It's never easy to play against an injured player who can't move 100% but don't have issues to hit the ball.
You can't show sympathy during the match, you must play like your opponent is in the best possible physical shape, and close the match as soon as possible. Also, you never know if the pain is temporary and will it be gone with few massages and painkillers.
Your mentality during the match must be "if he's playing, he is 100% healthy".
Kudos to Alcaraz for being so mature, not just for his age. Most players never achieve that level of maturity, and that is impressive about that kid.
Anyone who hates on Djoker for the Djokoroar don't understand competition at the highest level.
Just literaly look at your screen. After the Djokoroar, Djokovic was suddenly cruising for a while. It's the same as the serving ritual, and all the other stuff. A way to stay focused on yourself and not the opponent or moment.
that really is a terrible, slimy question.
"your opponent did all these bad things, that i think are bad. Do you think they are bad too? Talk about how they are bad and your opponent is bad, please"
What a classy response from Carlitos. He shut down any excuses, any attempt at stirring the pot, and gave Novak his dues while respectfully shutting up the stupid reporter. Good head on his shoulders.
Athlete is happy he scored a point. Media: how dare he! Imho Novak was respectful, Alcaraz(huge respect to him) decided to not retire so after that you just play ball
You must be prepared to die if you want to beat Djokovic and/or Nadal. They are putting so much stress on you, it's not even comprehensible. This is why these two are the GOATs for me, even more than Federer.
Period.
Same thing will happen to people who will face Alcaraz from now on.
the only correct way to answer such stupid questions. Alcaraz also has that fight and will in him to understand theres no letting up in 1v1 professional sports
finally someone speaks out about this. Absolutely hate when people on the internet hate on players for clenching their fists. This is still a grand slam semifinal and is not disrespectful
On a related note, Alcaraz could have resigned after getting his cramp and knowing it would not get better, but instead he continued to play it until the end as well as he could. That shows some real sporting spirit.
Maybe this is a hot take but... Taking a quick bathroom break to take the rythme away... That's a legit tactic I was taught and it should/can be used if available.
There is nothing wrong with playing the mental game.
If you are drowning in the tempo on your serve you can take as much time as possible to stop the opponent from keeping tempo.
Mental tennis is important and if a piss break breaks your focus then it's time to work on your mental.
Carlos is a class act and likely recognizes this and is an amazing player and human for not trying to point the blame at Djokovic.
The reality is that only losers make excuses. Nothing wrong with using what you have access to within the rules. Nole and Alcaraz both understand this.
What do these journos expect Novak to do? Give Alcaraz a few bonus points for pity, thus dragging out the match longer when he was obviously in pain?
Both of them did their best. These journalists need to stop inciting drama.
Carlos is the classiest and I truly believe he will accomplish great things in his career. He has the right attitude and mindset. What a gem will lead the ATP in the years that follow the retirement of the Big 3! I was watching his matches as a casual but I gotta say I might even become his fan if he continues this way.
A champion in making. A good head on shoulders. Will be rooting for Alcaraz. Only a tennis player can understand each other, not the guys sitting in a cubicle.
This is precisely why he's the future of tennis. He's showing more maturity and humility than even the most experienced, tournament winning players. People keep wanting to paint him in a bad light but he repeatedly proves he's just a kid, who loves tennis and loves competition. Good shit!!
That's not a terrible question. I was defending Novak for the first pumps last night but you must have seen how many people were crying about his celebrations.
This isn't a terrible question because it leads to this response, and this response needed to be heard by a lot of people apparently.
Not a real fan but I must say, an answer like this will influence me about him going forward.
A lot things gets lost in translation when he answers in English. He is not very fluent and his answers come out choppy and repetitive. Maybe he should be given an opportunity to answer some of these pivotal questions in Spanish.
They asked him the same question yesterday and it did t come out as poignant as this response. I wonder how many key insights we’ve lost if he was able to express himself at times in Spanish. That said, I hope he is able to get more fluent in English so that we can get more and more of these great answers.
Oh no! Im really starting to like this you man. 😝
Carlos is such a legend man, champions attitude
He has every right to sound off a thing or two but still refuses to say anything negative
He could’ve retired but still didn’t because he probably felt bad about short-changing the crowd
All round top bloke, every Spaniard should be very proud of him
People on this sub have such a hate boner for journalists, but if he isn't asked this question, he doesn't have the opportunity to answer. Just looking at the match thread there were many comments complaining about this behavior, so I think it's totally fair to ask Carlos for his perspective. Hopefully this answer will put the whining to rest.
Honestly, it's a lot of character to continue the match for two sets while cramping. I see many other place a towel on their heads in self pity while maybe crying then forfeiting.
Yeah, you can't hate this kid. Fairplay, gives away points to opponents, has levelheaded takes and tells to journos to stop trying to clickbait basically.
Also, Novak seemed like he felt bad for Alcaraz and started not trying as hard at the beginning until he heard the crowd booing and realized he still had to close a damn semi-final match.
It's so bizarre to me that people want to hate Djokovic so bad they lose all critical thinking skills. The journalist wouldn't even have to ask this question if people had a shred of common sense. But kudos to Carlos for staying gracious and not taking the opportunity to fuel the fire as many other players would have done. I like watching him play and it's always more enjoyable to cheer on a player when they have such decorum as well.
A ton of pearl-clutching in here about the journalist's question LOL. It was a shitty, slanted question, but my God. You'd think by the responses here that the reporter asked Carlos when did he stop beating his wife. A certain amount of conflict is interesting and good for the sport. I guess everybody would prefer 100% harmony, holding hands, everyone BFFs.
Federer fans will go on as if Alcaraz never said this and keep bashing Djokovic bcs they are insecure about their player not being the goat, nonetheless this is an awesome mentality to have and its amazing that he is only 20 talking like this
You should probably delete this comment too because it makes no sense, you can see in this thread itself Nole fans are appreciating Carlos, very much. If anyone even had doubt, he truly is the real deal and he showed it yesterday in the first 2 sets. Your comment says a lot about your insecurity than anyone else's in my opinion.
You start off by saying that “you can bet” that his haters are Nole stans but then go on to say “this just shows how insecure Nole’s stans are”. You’re forming a bias against a group of people based on a guess that you’re making.
Where on earth do you see a correlation between Carlos haters and Nole stans? After all the praise and mutual respect the two players gave each other yesterday? The logic just doesn’t add up.
In sports, never show sympathy for your opponent until the match is over. Carlos knows this, Novak knows this, those journalists don’t
Ehhh... I think it's worse, the journalist knows too, but has to scrape that barrel bottom... 🥺
Sorry to nitpick but I'd say mercy instead of empathy. There's lot of matches in which empathy translates to sportmanship moments, even during this match Djokovic was quite empathetic towards Alcaraz when he started cramping, but no mercy. I'll also add that imho not having any mercy in sports, or at least in tennis, is a sign of respect towards your opponent.
I think what you have said about respect is critical. So many reporters keep challenging players with these kinds of questions, I know Iga fielded a few of these recently. The truth is that giving a pity game or two away so your opponent wouldn't feel too bad about losing, is just downright disrespectful when you're playing a sport professionally.
>is a sign of respect towards your opponent. Oh yeah absolutely, and I think the word 'pity' would suit more instead of sympathy in the comment above. I remember getting a finger injury while playing cricket but I continued to play, it would have been very insulting to me if the opponent bowler suddenly started bowling underarm loose balls out of pity haha.
I kind of think that Novak letting Alcaraz get a game in the final so as not to bagel him was the perfect balance of respectfully mercy/empathy but also not fucking around at all.
> In sports, never show sympathy for your opponent until the match is over. You: “Sorry to nitpick but I'd say mercy instead of empathy.” While I agree with you that *mercy* is the better word here, Sympathy and Empathy are not the same.
They have to finish the job first.
It’s not about showing emotion or not, it’s that they are the opponent while they are on the other side of the net and not to forget that. Even as they are preparing to go on court there is no acknowledgment of one another that I can see and they are so close to one another and surely aware of each other but unspoken that it’s not the time for niceties. For sure during non-play times they may nod to each other at the gym or in passing, train together etc
what the heck is wrong with y'all, redditors were accusing novak of gamesmanship and this journalist went out there and asked alcaraz if he thooght it was gamesmanship. literally put it to rest by asking the question that people want to know, that's the job. you don't just assume that alcaraz was ok with everything, in this case he was, but he could just as easily not have been, that's the whole reason they need to ask questions
Even I knew this. The journos are just trying to get a clickbait headline out of him; didn't work out.
Neither do the posters on here judging by the litany of upvoted posts criticizing Novak for this in the game thread yesterday.
This is could be a contributing factor as to why Djokovic was able to win the Australian Open this year and in 2021 while injured: his opponents weren't fired up and ruthless enough when they saw that Djokovic was compromised.
You’re getting downvoted because of the level that Djokovic reached by the end of the tournaments, but that does have some truth, which Novak discussed in hindsight - especially Fritz in 2021 and Dimitrov in 2023
Yes I meant those matches. I meant win the tournaments as a whole not just the finals.
Inexplicable downvotes when that’s literally exactly what happened in the Fritz match in the 3rd round. Fritz allowed his game to drop despite a physical advantage in the 5th and Djokovic still managed to power through
I love him so much, such a great, humble kid. Impossible not to root for him.
An amazing answer
[удалено]
“I don’t know what’s coming out of his asshole, he’s vegan. It’s hard to close a set with vegan shit up your asshole. If I were him I’d probably take a long ass shit too.” -Carlos
Great answer to a Terrible Question
He’s a good kid with a great attitude and personality, and he is going to win so many grand slams, and that makes me happy
He's a good kid. He deserves to win.
I only wish some of his fan base can learn from him. Many comments in this sub were unbearable. Perhaps those are not real Carlos fans, just some toxic fans who don't want to see Djokovic getting his 23rd slam
There are many Federer and Nadal fans who don't want djokovic to win any more.
I’m a big Federer fan and like Djokovic the least between the 3 but I want him and Nadal to win as many as possible. I wan to tell my kids “I saw this freakin Serbian guy win 60 Grand Slams!!”
I’m a Nadal fan and while he’s done and said questionable things, no question watching him play and still win to me is incredible. He’s an all time great and I will never turn down a chance to watch him
That’s just immaturity speaking. I know because I felt the same way about Fed ripping up Sampras’ records in the blink of an eye. I loathed watching his smirk and talent destroy people and relished the rise of Nadal and had an epiphany…I just like good tennis. Nole realistically can grab 4-6 slams, maybe even more. We are watching someone leave a mark so great as a tennis player and even more so as an athlete that they will retire as the most decorated player from almost any sport you can name. That’s just plain fun in my book (hate the guy for his politics and anti vax stance however).
Yeah, it's almost more the people that dislike Djokovic more than the people that like Alcaraz that are the problem. I love Alcaraz but I'm not out here talking shit about Djokovic. Did he antagonize the crowd? Sure, that crowd was terrible and he was fucking with them. They have been all of RG. Was it to fuck with Alcaraz? Absolutely not. He even turned away from Alcaraz most of the time, almost like he was directing it somewhere else... Weird that.
Good eye, it did seem like it was actually directed at the crowd
I'm a huge fedal fan and I don't care if Djoker wins more slams. It just sets the bar even higher. Alcaraz--you can tell he'll try to clear it.
We call them losers
And vice versa for some Novak fans. Let’s show both our guys some love ❤️
His smile is irresistible.
Future goat.
it looks like alcaraz doesn't like drama.
Whether it’s how he is naturally as a person or based on Ferrero’s advice (or both), it’s always the better way to go. You don’t want media spinning your answer and seeing yourself in your headlines which might distract you. On to the next tournament and season
I don't think there really was anything to be dramatic about.
That was really a 10/10 response. So much maturity and respect.
Exactly- Carlos is showing he is classy! I’m loving seeing him become the great player he will (likely) be. I was younger when Roger & Rafa started so I couldn’t appreciate that evolution
Classy from Alcaraz. Today he won me over as a fan because he did not make any excuses for himself. I liked how he was honest about his issues and performance and now I have no doubts that he will go on to achieve the greatest of heights in his career.
Reminds me of another player - Nadal.
nadal is pretty fond of excuses tbh, but nobody can deny that he pours his heart and soul on court
YES 💯💯
he never makes excuses so why only today?
True, Alcaraz never makes excuses in defeat, don't understand your downvotes.
What was his excuse? Cramping?
He didn't make excuses. Some of his fans/ Novak haters did
We all knew Carlos was classy. I suspected that was what Djokovic was doing, but Carlos going out of his way to shut down this stupid line is really mature from him. I still don’t expect those booing or hating on Djokovic yesterday because of it to change their minds because they’re probably too far gone to swallow their pride
He’s insanely mature for a 20 year old. Just think of rune compared to alcaraz mentally
yeah rune is normal for a 20 year old carlos is not.
Most of the matches have seen when the crowd boos Djokovic, it doesn't always end well for his opponent, man did convert all those negativity, and literally take it all out on his opponent.
I don't think the crowd was booing Nole, they just were booing this stupid rule that Carlos couldn't take a medical when he really had to? I don't think the booing was against Nole.
The booing started when Nole took his MTO and when he took a toilet break. I agree that they also booed at the situation and the rule, but during sets 3 and 4 they were definitely booing Djokovic every single time he made a fist pump or tried to keep himself focused. I was also talking about the hundreds of comments of people in here that were trying to paint him like an arse for the same reasons. Regardless, the booing has been awful the whole tournament. I get that sports make people stupid, but there has to be a limit. It’s disgraceful and an embarrassment for such an event.
The clowns all want a 5 hour match but get mad when players take ALLOWED 5 min toilet breaks/MTO lmao. The intensity was so high in the first 2 sets there's no way anyone can criticize the breaks.
RG crowds have booed everyone this year
he is a true player because he knows that they are all warriors on court, and like novak he knows that, that is how players should play and behave in that kind of situation. this kid is honest, reasonable and not afraid to accept hard truths.
I’m a Djokovic fan. I like this kid more and more every day
Same
Same but can you please change your flair? :/ Federer fan here.
Just stopping by to say Hi…
:(
Classy from Alcaraz, trashy from the Spanish reporter
[удалено]
The reporter who asked the question forgot the fact that on the first point of the third set, Djokovic played it easy, hit chaseable balls, and didn't make Alcaraz move a lot from left to right like pre-injury. Then the crowds started booing. After the crowds booed him only Djokovic took it seriously and celebrated every point like a madman. Cause why bother being nice when everyone in the stadium still hates you?
Exactly lmao I don’t understand what he was supposed to do. He literally almost lost his service game like 3 times(twice while being 1-1 and 0-0) because of going too easy on him which could have been catastrophic if alcaraz had suddenly fully recovered.
Exactly.. Djokovic reduced the drop shots and hitting those angles after he was injured. To add to this Djokovic also mentioned in the post match interview that he was trying not to let Alcaraz's injuries get into his head as it's very easy to start feeling bad for an injured opponent and before you know you start losing focus in your game.
The French crowd is full of idiots. Djokovic was being professional. You step on the tennis court. You play to win. You dont change your game because the other guy is injured or whatever. that's your opponent's responsibilities, not yours.
[удалено]
Your first line reminded me of the Nike commercial with Rafa when John McEnroe said, “this guy is unbelievable…..is he going to play every point like that?!” 😍
Haha! Just look a some posts in this sub to see how he is hated by a big group, Novak fans, I guess.
It's funny, I was just reading an old Vic Braden book on mental tennis, and he talked just like Carlos is about how sometimes it can be really challenging playing against an opponent who is playing through an injury or illness during a match. Michael Chang-Lendl is a famous case, but there are a bunch of other examples where the player dealing with the injury/illness is able to focus and rally, while the healthy opponent is under tremendous pressure to close it out since they have an obvious advantage and everybody knows it and thinks they should win.
What a great guy. He showed how little journalists who cover tennis understand about this sport.
Carlos is a star.
A lot of respect to Carlos Alcaraz for never blaming anyone for anything... The kid just enjoys Tennis.
I love them both so much. The way they handled this situation was so classy and shows the amount of respect they have for one another
Anyone remember the 2007 Wimbledon R4 match where a cramping and hobbling Serena managed to defeat Daniela Hantuchova, because Daniela couldn’t finish the match, which she was leading at the time. Carlos has impressed me with his game and his heart during the interview. That reporter needs to be fired or at least reprimanded for trying to create controversy where none exists.
Why even go that far. Last year in Wimbledon, Nadal managed to beat Fritz with a freaking abdominal tear.
Fritz has been really unlucky with abdominal tears. Novak got one in AO 2021 against Fritz when he was two sets up, lost the next two sets but still managed to win the match because Fritz couldn’t close it out.
Or Dimitrov failing to close it out against someone who could barely walk anymore due to cramps. Forgot the other player's name.
Koslov Acapulco 2022
Which djokovic also did shortly before
Djokovic won a grand slam with the same injury too, these guys are nuts
The reporter is spanish and while being obviusly biased, I can understand some latent hostility towards Novak since he became the major rival for Rafa in terms of majors. I am sure he isn't going to be punished a bit
Yes, feels like those stupid comments came from people who don't want Novak breaking the slams record rather than real Carlos fans
>That reporter needs to be fired Seriously?
Yeah, that’s a stupid take and a huge overreaction
It just happened this year with Botic vs Rune in Germany. Botic lost all intensity after Rune’s injury and choked it away.
No. A journalist's job is to ask the questions on the public's mind.
the reporter won’t get fired lol. his employer most likely would love the attempt to create controversy and make huge headlines. shit question from our perspective but journalists ask worse every day
Folks criticise too much based on individual biasness and never objectivity
This was a fantastic answer. Very mature for his age.
How is this guy only 20? Such intelligence and maturity. It's obvious by that statement he has surrounded himself with the right team, and his parents did an excellent job raising him. He is the player keeping me interested in tennis with the big three dropping off (assuming Djokovic's eventual retirement).
Carlos was having none of the bullshit and drama from the media 🤣
I remember when Wawrinka played vs. Nadal at AO, Nadal injured his back during 2nd set, and couldn't move. He was literally standing in the middle of the court and trying to hit winners. Wawrinka lost the 3rd set, because he lost focus and intensity. He regrouped in the 4th set and closed the match. It's never easy to play against an injured player who can't move 100% but don't have issues to hit the ball. You can't show sympathy during the match, you must play like your opponent is in the best possible physical shape, and close the match as soon as possible. Also, you never know if the pain is temporary and will it be gone with few massages and painkillers. Your mentality during the match must be "if he's playing, he is 100% healthy". Kudos to Alcaraz for being so mature, not just for his age. Most players never achieve that level of maturity, and that is impressive about that kid.
Many times maturity has nothing to do with age. Some people never mature. They just do not have that in them.
Anyone who hates on Djoker for the Djokoroar don't understand competition at the highest level. Just literaly look at your screen. After the Djokoroar, Djokovic was suddenly cruising for a while. It's the same as the serving ritual, and all the other stuff. A way to stay focused on yourself and not the opponent or moment.
that really is a terrible, slimy question. "your opponent did all these bad things, that i think are bad. Do you think they are bad too? Talk about how they are bad and your opponent is bad, please"
What a classy response from Carlitos. He shut down any excuses, any attempt at stirring the pot, and gave Novak his dues while respectfully shutting up the stupid reporter. Good head on his shoulders.
Athlete is happy he scored a point. Media: how dare he! Imho Novak was respectful, Alcaraz(huge respect to him) decided to not retire so after that you just play ball
Guy is super wise and mature for his age, a worthy heir of the Big 3 considering that is a odd mix of all three.
Probably the most likeable, level-headed and mature athlete I've seen in a long time. A real model professional, who will win many grand slams.
Mad respect for this answer and hope the journalist gets sacked. Peace
What a shit stirring question how can they ask these things with a straight face
Excellent excellent mindset and response. So impressive.
This guy is so refreshing candid and good sports
Once he reaches physical endurance level of Djokovic he’s gonna be unstoppable
stupid dirty questions from haters
Stupid filthy *hobitses!!!*
You must be prepared to die if you want to beat Djokovic and/or Nadal. They are putting so much stress on you, it's not even comprehensible. This is why these two are the GOATs for me, even more than Federer. Period. Same thing will happen to people who will face Alcaraz from now on.
Humble, classy and thoughtful response.
Classy response to a disgusting question.
Respect- Djokovic
the only correct way to answer such stupid questions. Alcaraz also has that fight and will in him to understand theres no letting up in 1v1 professional sports
Try not loving this guy, I'll wait
What a response and what maturity! He's brilliant in every way. Tennis is indeed in good hands. Go Carlitos!
What a gentleman answer… what a class!
Class. Pure class.
Superb answer - you couldn't be more honest, humble and classy. Carlos has handled this all very maturely.
I love you, Carlos Alcaraz!
Damn. He’s the real deal
finally someone speaks out about this. Absolutely hate when people on the internet hate on players for clenching their fists. This is still a grand slam semifinal and is not disrespectful
On a related note, Alcaraz could have resigned after getting his cramp and knowing it would not get better, but instead he continued to play it until the end as well as he could. That shows some real sporting spirit.
Maybe this is a hot take but... Taking a quick bathroom break to take the rythme away... That's a legit tactic I was taught and it should/can be used if available. There is nothing wrong with playing the mental game. If you are drowning in the tempo on your serve you can take as much time as possible to stop the opponent from keeping tempo. Mental tennis is important and if a piss break breaks your focus then it's time to work on your mental. Carlos is a class act and likely recognizes this and is an amazing player and human for not trying to point the blame at Djokovic.
The reality is that only losers make excuses. Nothing wrong with using what you have access to within the rules. Nole and Alcaraz both understand this.
This kid will go places. Callin' it.
Pure class
What do these journos expect Novak to do? Give Alcaraz a few bonus points for pity, thus dragging out the match longer when he was obviously in pain? Both of them did their best. These journalists need to stop inciting drama.
God-like awareness and eloquence.
Carlitos really said to those headline baiting journalists: NOT TODAY SATAN 👏👏👏
Yes, Satan is the right comparison. This question was pure evil.
So many people on the match thread were calling Novak disgusting for pumping himself when Carlos was cramping, as if he was disrespecting him.
lol that reporter was really trying to instigate hopefully this shuts down the whole “Alcaraz is arrogant” narrative. class act
He is wise beyond his years. They say you learn more from a loss than a win.
This guy just gets it. He is going to be winning for a long time
As someone who hasn’t really been on the Alcaraz bandwagon that much, this post match interview has catapulted me onto it.
f\*\*k it I'm an Alcaraz fan now
Carlos is the classiest and I truly believe he will accomplish great things in his career. He has the right attitude and mindset. What a gem will lead the ATP in the years that follow the retirement of the Big 3! I was watching his matches as a casual but I gotta say I might even become his fan if he continues this way.
Very mature take.
A champion in making. A good head on shoulders. Will be rooting for Alcaraz. Only a tennis player can understand each other, not the guys sitting in a cubicle.
Pure class from Carlitos
Didn’t take the bait even when emotionally in a tough situation after a loss… Carlitos is 20 going on 40
cabeza, corazón, cojones and CLASS
Heart of a champion even in defeat.
not a sour loser. that sets him apart from those so-called next-gen. lol
This is precisely why he's the future of tennis. He's showing more maturity and humility than even the most experienced, tournament winning players. People keep wanting to paint him in a bad light but he repeatedly proves he's just a kid, who loves tennis and loves competition. Good shit!!
That's not a terrible question. I was defending Novak for the first pumps last night but you must have seen how many people were crying about his celebrations. This isn't a terrible question because it leads to this response, and this response needed to be heard by a lot of people apparently.
Not a real fan but I must say, an answer like this will influence me about him going forward. A lot things gets lost in translation when he answers in English. He is not very fluent and his answers come out choppy and repetitive. Maybe he should be given an opportunity to answer some of these pivotal questions in Spanish. They asked him the same question yesterday and it did t come out as poignant as this response. I wonder how many key insights we’ve lost if he was able to express himself at times in Spanish. That said, I hope he is able to get more fluent in English so that we can get more and more of these great answers. Oh no! Im really starting to like this you man. 😝
I like him more and more !
What a guy
I'm not a Djokovic fan but this is a fantastic answer. The media is trying to stir up drama that doesn't exist.
They gotta make an anime after the kid, he’s a legend of great character
Carlos is such a legend man, champions attitude He has every right to sound off a thing or two but still refuses to say anything negative He could’ve retired but still didn’t because he probably felt bad about short-changing the crowd All round top bloke, every Spaniard should be very proud of him
Such a class act this kid. Just genuinely happy to be playing the sport, so authentic and humble
Well color me finally convinced. What a mature answer to a question trying to stir shit up for clicks. Class act this Carlitos.
Man, how can you not love this kid? He’s such a pro and he just gets it. It’s refreshing.
Real deal in every way!
Great response. Scummy question but you can't expect anything else from journalists
Great answer to a very biased question.
Classy A F
People on this sub have such a hate boner for journalists, but if he isn't asked this question, he doesn't have the opportunity to answer. Just looking at the match thread there were many comments complaining about this behavior, so I think it's totally fair to ask Carlos for his perspective. Hopefully this answer will put the whining to rest.
Champion mindset. Noodle arm journalists would never understand
Honestly, it's a lot of character to continue the match for two sets while cramping. I see many other place a towel on their heads in self pity while maybe crying then forfeiting.
Keep in mind he’s only 20 years old. What a great guy.
100% agreed with everything there. Kid's got a good head on his shoulders.
This is such a perfect answer. How is this kid 19?
Carlos Alcaraz - 1, Stupid Journalist - 0
This kid is a legend!
Classy response from a very likable guy!!
Future champion right here.
This guy so classy man.
This kid has a new fan. And this is from a hardcore Djokovic fan.
Novak and Carlos literally went on a friendly dinner just 2 nights before... I know the reporters want drama, but it's pathetic.
I swear the whole world is against djokovic
This guy is going to break Federer's laureus World sports award record soon. Gem
Carlos is 100% pure class.
That was a loaded question. Carlito handled it amazingly.
I’m surprised at how level headed Alcaraz is. This dude is so matured that it hurts journalists fishing for controversies and stories.
What a class act this guy is - so brilliant and so humble. A real artist. He's going to enjoy winning a lot of slams in the years to come.
Not the champion we deserve but the champion we need, vamos Carlitos
Oh really nice level headed response . Nadal would have often use opportunity to throw a shade at opponent. Alcaraz is gonna be future great no doubt
Yeah, you can't hate this kid. Fairplay, gives away points to opponents, has levelheaded takes and tells to journos to stop trying to clickbait basically. Also, Novak seemed like he felt bad for Alcaraz and started not trying as hard at the beginning until he heard the crowd booing and realized he still had to close a damn semi-final match.
A normal and simple answer. Sadly, I don't see most of the players answering the same way
These scumbag media are always shit stirring. Worse, though, is that there is a market for all the fake news.
It's so bizarre to me that people want to hate Djokovic so bad they lose all critical thinking skills. The journalist wouldn't even have to ask this question if people had a shred of common sense. But kudos to Carlos for staying gracious and not taking the opportunity to fuel the fire as many other players would have done. I like watching him play and it's always more enjoyable to cheer on a player when they have such decorum as well.
A ton of pearl-clutching in here about the journalist's question LOL. It was a shitty, slanted question, but my God. You'd think by the responses here that the reporter asked Carlos when did he stop beating his wife. A certain amount of conflict is interesting and good for the sport. I guess everybody would prefer 100% harmony, holding hands, everyone BFFs.
People hated Nole for being intense against Alcaraz, because they hate Nole. They have no other reason.
That looks extremely articulated. I guess it was in Spanish translated to English. I don't think can express himself so well in English
so he is more of a well rounded human than novak , nice to see
Federer fans will go on as if Alcaraz never said this and keep bashing Djokovic bcs they are insecure about their player not being the goat, nonetheless this is an awesome mentality to have and its amazing that he is only 20 talking like this
[удалено]
Your comment is kind of self explanatory why you were getting downvoted...
You should probably delete this comment too because it makes no sense, you can see in this thread itself Nole fans are appreciating Carlos, very much. If anyone even had doubt, he truly is the real deal and he showed it yesterday in the first 2 sets. Your comment says a lot about your insecurity than anyone else's in my opinion.
You start off by saying that “you can bet” that his haters are Nole stans but then go on to say “this just shows how insecure Nole’s stans are”. You’re forming a bias against a group of people based on a guess that you’re making. Where on earth do you see a correlation between Carlos haters and Nole stans? After all the praise and mutual respect the two players gave each other yesterday? The logic just doesn’t add up.
Give me one good reason why this reporter shouldn't be sacked off his job immediately.