'Disrespectful To Next Opponent': Djokovic On Talks About Alcaraz Final At US Open

Saturday, 26 August 2023 at 16:10

byEvita Mueller

The Cincinnati final didn't do much in preventing people from penciling in the 2023 US Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, but the Serbian is reluctant to talk about it.

Djokovic knows well what he's capable of, and he's probably the last to count himself out of a run to the final at the US Open, but he's not really keen to talk about it. His title run in Cincinnati proved that he's not missed a beat over the summer, but he still needs to win a few matches before he makes it to the final.

Always very respectful toward his fellow colleagues on the ATP Tour, Djokovic is reluctant to think ahead because it really doesn't matter in the end. All that matters is your next match and the next opponent because what happens after might never come.

Again, tennis is such sport where, for example, in a tournament like Cincinnati, you play five matches in five days. You can't really be thinking about what happens in three or four days. You're just thinking about the next day, your next opponent.

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I think it's also in a way disrespectful to your next opponent if you're already thinking about your finals matchup. Even though I've had tremendous success, maybe you could argue that I could already start thinking about later phases and stages in the tournament, but that kind of mindset never really resonated with me.

However, he still admitted to planning ahead both during matches and events. He's obviously well aware of the draw and adapts accordingly. If a tough match is coming up, he's going to pick and choose his spots in the previous match, especially if he faces someone like Alcaraz in the next matchup.

I wouldn't say specifically. I mean, depends if there is a potential matchup coming closer, then yes, I would be probably thinking a bit more working on certain tactical implementations on the court, practice court, that I could use against him in my favor.

— Djokovic on thinking ahead of matchups<br>