Defending US Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz, has admitted that Novak Djokovic’s first-round defeat at the tournament came as a major surprise.
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam winner, was eliminated after suffering a five-set loss to Mariano Navone in a gruelling contest that lasted more than four hours.
The defeat brought an end to Djokovic’s remarkable record of progressing beyond the opening round of a Grand Slam, a feat he had maintained since the 2006 Australian Open.
Djokovic had been placed in the same half of the draw as Alcaraz, raising the possibility of a semi-final meeting between the two stars. His early departure, however, has removed that potential obstacle from Alcaraz’s route to the final.
Speaking after defeating Roman Safiullin in straight sets, Alcaraz said Djokovic’s unexpected exit caught his attention.
“I saw the fifth set. Obviously it was the first time that Novak lost in the first round here in this tournament, so it’s a big surprise. Someone like Novak going out in the first round, it’s surprising,” Alcaraz said, according to the ATP website.
Despite Djokovic’s exit opening up his section of the draw, Alcaraz insisted he was concentrating on his own matches rather than looking too far ahead.
“But every Grand Slam is really difficult to get through every round, every player. It’s really tough. You have to earn the win [from] the first ball until the last one,” he said.
Djokovic was beaten 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 by Navone at Arthur Ashe Stadium, ending his hopes of claiming a record 25th Grand Slam title at this year’s US Open.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz made an impressive return to singles action by overcoming Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
The Spaniard was playing his first singles match in more than four months after a wrist injury forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon. He began his title defence in convincing fashion with the straight-sets victory.
