Carlos Alcaraz qualifies for the Madrid Open final after beating world No 1 Novak Djokovic in thriller lasting near four HOURS… just 24 hours after Spanish youngsters toppled his hero Rafael Nadal
- Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 in the Madrid Open semi-final
- Alcaraz, roared on by a home crowd, delighted them with some drop shots
- The 19-year-old eventually got the better of the Serb on his third match point
- He will face either Alexander Zverev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final
Teenage star Carlos Alcaraz proved he is the real deal by stunning Novak Djokovic just 24 hours after slaying Rafael Nadal to reach the final of the Madrid Open.
The 19-year-old Spaniard beat Djokovic 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 in a thriller which lasted almost four hours.
Alcaraz, roared on by a raucous home crowd, delighted his army of supporters with some brilliant drop shots and eventually got the better of the Serb on his third match point.
Teenage star Carlos Alcaraz proved he is the real deal by stunning Novak Djokovic
The 19-year-old Spaniard beat Djokovic 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 in a thriller which lasted almost four hours
After toppling his hero Nadal in the quarter-finals on Thursday, the world No 9 became the first player in history to beat Djokovic and Nadal back-to-back on clay.
He will face either Alexander Zverev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. Alcaraz, the youngest player in the top 10 since Nadal in 2005, has won this year in Miami, Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona.
He said: ‘It was so close. Novak had the chances to break my serve at the end of the second set. I don’t know what made the difference.
‘I think I am able to play against the best players in the world and beat them so it gives me a lot of confidence.’
It came after the Spaniard toppled his hero Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals on Thursday
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