Carlos Alcaraz admits to having the Cincinnati defeat on mind as he prepares to take on Novak Djokovic in the semis of the 2023 ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic had defeated Carlos Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) in the final of Cincinnati Open 2023 when they last met.

Carlos Alcaraz admits to having the Cincinnati defeat on mind as he prepares to take on Novak Djokovic in the semis of the 2023 ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic (L), Carlos Alcaraz (R) (Source: Imago)

Carlos Alcaraz has finally taken his revenge against Daniil Medvedev for his disappointing loss in the 2023 US Open semifinal. The Spaniard beat the Russian in his third match of the 2023 ATP Finals, which would have decided his fate in the competition.

Had Alcaraz lost against Medvedev again, Alexander Zverev would have qualified for the semifinals instead of him. The Spaniard managed to redeem himself against his nemesis and thus cemented his way into the semifinals. 

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However, an even bigger challenge awaits him now, as the Spaniard is set to face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semi-final of the 2023 ATP Finals. The rivalry between these two players has been top-notch in the recent past.

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Particularly, their last two matches were hands-down, two of the best matches played in the 2023 season. Alcaraz beat Djokovic in the final of the 2023 Wimbledon, following which the Serb took revenge against the Spaniard by defeating him in the final of the Cincinnati Masters. 

Alcaraz addressed his loss against the Serb in the Cincinnati Open final and said that he has improved a lot since then and has become mentally stronger. He said that it was a very good match, and that matches like these are what make him mentally stronger because of the enormous amount of pressure involved. 

I’m probably mentally stronger. At the moment, in relation to Paris, I talked about managing pressure, difficult times. In Paris, I couldn't handle the pressure. I got to know this situation. Then there was Wimbledon and Cincinnati. It was a very, very good match. I think against someone like Novak, you have to stay mentally strong and deal with the pressure he puts on you with every ball, every point. I think I learned a lot about it. I think I'm ready to face him tomorrow.
Alcaraz (H/T: We Love Tennis)

Carlos Alcaraz vs. Novak Djokovic head-to-head record 

Alcaraz and Djokovic have faced each other in competitive matches a total of four times and they have an equal record. Both players have won two matches each and thus the winner of the upcoming semifinal match will take a lead over the other.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic (Source: CNN)

Their best encounter to date was hands-down the Cincinnati Masters 2023 final. The Serb won that match 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4). 

The two players have been playing a lot of practice matches lately as well. They played against each other ahead of the Paris Masters and ATP Finals. Thus, both players are well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each other and fans are expecting yet another thrilling match. 

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