(Rome) Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, who have only crossed paths since the start of the season, are preparing to play their first joint tournament in 2023 in Rome, the last Masters 1000 before Roland-Garros, from Wednesday .
Until then, circumstances have prevented the world No.1 and the one who will surely dislodge him from the throne of world tennis after the Italian tournament on the simple condition of playing at least one match there, from appearing in the same table.
First there was the muscle injury in his right leg which deprived Alcaraz of the Australian Open, where Djokovic triumphed for the 22e times in the Grand Slam and equaled Rafael Nadal’s record – kept him away from the circuit for almost four months by a muscle in his left hip.
Then there was the impossibility – about to be lifted – for the Serb, not vaccinated against COVID-19, to participate in the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami. The young Spaniard, who opted for the South American tour in February on clay to launch his season, won in California and was stopped in the semi-finals in Florida.
Finally, there was Alcaraz’s deadlock on Monte-Carlo, the first Masters 1000 of the European season on ocher, to give themselves time to breathe, followed by that on Madrid by Djokovic, not in his best form since his recovery .
Elbow to watch
PHOTO THOMAS COEX, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Carlos Alcaraz
“Carlitos” arrives in the Italian capital, for the first time, on the strength of his Barcelona-Madrid double and with 19 victories, and three titles, in twenty matches on clay in 2023.
His consistency is remarkable: five finals played in six tournaments since his late start to the season less than three months ago.
“It’s a very good point, appreciates the protege of Juan Carlos Ferrero. It’s something we work on, it’s an objective to try not to have a fluctuating level of play from one tournament to another, but to maintain a certain level all the time. For now, I’m getting there, I’m very happy. »
The recent trajectory of “Nole”, holder of the trophy in Rome, is less flamboyant: in Monte-Carlo as in Banja Luka (Bosnia) in April, he lost in his second match (against Musetti and Lajovic), far from showing his best face and again bothered by his right elbow which had caused him pain several years ago.
Three weeks before Roland-Garros, we will necessarily monitor the state of his articulation.
Djokovic will start either against the young Frenchman Luca Van Assche (85e), as in Banja Luka, or against the Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry (61e). The following ? Potentially a difficult Dimitrov sequence (33e), Norrie (13e), Rune (7e) or Auger-Aliassime (10e), and Sinner (8e) in the last square.
1-0 Alcaraz
Alcaraz will start him against another Spaniard, Albert Ramos (72e), or the Italian Francesco Passaro (126e). On his career then, a reunion is looming in the round of 16 with Borna Coric (16e), brand new semi-finalist in Madrid, a quarter-final against Stefanos Tsitsipas (5e), outgoing finalist in Rome, and a semi-final against Rublev (6e), Zverev (22e) or why not Medvedev (3e).
If both make it to the final, the winner of the 2022 United States Open, who has since become the youngest world No.1 in history, will go there with the advantage of having emerged victorious from his unique face-to-face with Djokovic, a year ago in Madrid (6-7 [5/7]7-5, 7-6 [7/5] in the semi-finals).
