Carlos Alcaraz classily refused to put any blame on Novak Djokovic after suffering cramps during their French Open semifinal match.
After Alcaraz won a tight second set, Djokovic took a bathroom break.
Early in the third set, Alcaraz just stopped after losing the second game and received a medical intervention before continuing to play.
Even though Alcaraz was able to continue the match, his movement and ability were severely impacted as Djokovic clinched a 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 win.
After the match, Alcaraz was asked whether Djokovic’s bathroom break factored into him experiencing cramps and if he had any problems with the Serb celebrating his points.
Alcaraz: Djokovic should not be blamed for anything
“Many people may want to create controversy and claim that Novak went to the bathroom to stop the game or break rhythm, but no, not in my case. I don’t believe it influenced anything. The stress from the first game of the match carried over into the second set, and the physical demands Novak placed on me had an impact. Ultimately, I couldn’t hold on physically. As for your second question, I don’t blame him for anything. He had to close the match. It’s challenging to play against someone who isn’t at 100%. While they may experience a downturn, you can’t afford to have that downturn and instead must find a way to close the match. Clenching your fists helps maintain intensity and allows you to close the match as quickly as possible. I don’t blame Djokovic for doing that. The truth is, if I were facing someone who was injured or not playing at their best, and I experienced a slump, I would likely do the same. Closing a match is never easy,” Alcaraz said.
Pure class from Alcaraz here. pic.twitter.com/N6bR3NaOti
— Saša Ozmo (@ozmo_sasa) June 10, 2023
For Alcaraz, it was an unfortunate end to what looked like a really promising French Open run.
Alcaraz will now turn his focus on getting ready for the grass season.