Alcaraz backs up Nadal win to take down Djokovic

Wow! Just wow! Alcaraz cranks up the heat and has the crowd in ecstasy as he takes us into a decider. Djokovic is up against it when he nets backhand to tee up three set points. He saves one with a sizzling strike down the line but he comes out second best on one of the points of the match when Carlos picks up his angled flick at the net to somehow sneak a winner up the line.

That’s a HUGE hold. Djokovic hits back from 40-15 down and when a drop shot goes awry, the Serb’s eyes light up. Alcaraz fends off the BP with a drop shot that does just about comes off and he plays bold, brave tennis to dig his way out of a situation that was looking rather hairy.

The ‘Djoko smash’ rears its ugly head and Alcaraz takes early charge of a tricky game for the world No.1. The young Spaniard has a chance to push a winner up the line after picking up a drop shot but fires straight at Nole, who prods into the open court. It’s hugely significant as Djokovic reels off the next two points to keep his hopes of a straight sets win on course.

Alcaraz is just as sporting as he is good at tennis. He concedes a point on a dodgy line call and is then playing catch up. He knows he can’t afford to blink and finds clutch mode to fend off break point before somehow staving off the pressure to wriggle clear from deuce.

The world No.1 remains in defiant mood. Alcaraz threatens to make deuce from 40-15 down but miscues horribly off court via the forehand after throwing everything at the Serb’s defences. We’ve seen the end of this movie before… Can Alcaraz write a fresh and updated version?

Huge cheers once more as Alcaraz backs up another beauty of a drop shot with a sizzling forehand to stay in front as we enter the business end of this set.

Will Carlos look back on this moment as a missed chance? A quite sensational drop shot leaves Djokovic completely outfoxed to set up a break point, but he can only balloon a forehand on the next point. The Serb finds clutch serving to get out of dodge to leave the teenager frustrated once again.

A couple of excellent serves and a thumping forehand winner to Djokovic’s right flank to conclude a top-drawer rally ensure Carlos keeps his nose in front. He’s been improving on the return game this set – but can he make the breakthrough?

Carlos can’t hide his frustration. He threatens again with a scorching forehand winner to make 30-30 but once again some intelligent serving from Nole catches the teenager out and it’s level once more.

This is a fine start to the second set from Carlos. He shakes his racquet and roars along to the cheers of the crowd as he cruises to a love hold.

Alcaraz finally threatens again on Djokovic’s serve as he seizes upon a second serve to lash home a winner and make 30-30. The Spanish starlet can’t make any further inroads though and there are far too many unforced errors at times which have made life very comfortable for the top seed when he’s been serving.

Love it. Alcaraz fakes the drop shot and outwits Djoker with a slice forehand to edge the opening game to 30 and get Set 2 off on the front foot.

What a battle! Djokovic takes the breaker by a 7-5 scoreline on his fourth set point after Alcaraz had threatened to save four in a row. It concluded a one hour and two minute set where the Serb turned the momentum his way after coming under the cosh in the very early stages.

Djokovic has a wobble serving in the opening point of the TB but it’s Alcaraz who is left frowning as he twice fires long in quick succession. The world No.1 lures another error with a smart, slow serve and then lets out all the emotion as an acutely angled backhand is just too good. The Serb leads 5-1 at the change of ends.

Tie-break time! Alcaraz pulls off another one of those trademark drop shots to hold to 15 and take the set right to the wire.

It’s yet another love hold for Novak. It’s surprising that Carlos is having such little joy on the return. It’s also putting him under plenty of pressure as his service games have been far from routine.

Vamos! Alcaraz sees a Djokovic return land just long and gets himself out of dodge. The 19-year-old looked in control at 30-0 but was pushed to deuce before once again lashing down some intelligent serves to level matters.