"I was calm but when I stepped out, I got nervous" - How Carlos Alcaraz learned from Wimbledon loss to Daniil Medvedev to turn the tide against him
Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz are set to clash in the semifinals of Wimbledon again. The Spaniard is the defending champion at SW19 and will start the match as the favorite. However, things were different when the duo first clashed at Wimbledon in 2021.
Alcaraz was a teenage prodigy when he burst onto the scene in 2021. The Spaniard faced Medvedev in the second round at Wimbledon 2021 in what was the biggest match of his career. Alcaraz had faced Rafael Nadal earlier at the Madrid Open, but it was not a Grand Slam stage.
Medvedev defeated Alcaraz 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 in straight sets to knock the Spaniard out of Wimbledon. Despite his defeat, Alcaraz claimed he was happy with the encounter as he learned a lot about playing against top players, admitting that he got nervous during the match despite being calm and composed beforehand.
The Spaniard further learned that he needed to play every point at the same intensity to win matches at the Grand Slam stage.
“I have to learn to be more consistent because the good players play every point the same, at a very high intensity, and I have ups and downs. Before going out on court I was calm, but when I stepped out, I got more nervous than normal. I found it difficult to deal with those nerves in the first games," Alcaraz said after his match against Medvedev.
Carlos Alcaraz took his defeat gracefully and admitted that he was beaten by a better opponent. The Spaniard claimed that it was all a learning process for him and he would become a better player with these experiences. He pinpointed specific aspects of his game to improve after his defeat against Medvedev in the second round.
"This is part of the learning process. Playing in that kind of stadium is an experience you have to have. It will really help me in the future and next time I play I’ll be able to focus differently." Alcaraz added.
Alcaraz put all his learning to use as he went on to defeat Medvedev in their next meeting at Wimbledon in 2023. The Spaniard defeated the Russian in the semifinal on the way to his maiden Wimbledon title.
Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev are set to clash in the semifinals of Wimbledon 2024
Daniil Medvedev knocked out World No. 1 Jannik Sinner to set up a blockbuster semifinal clash with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon. The Russian has made it to back-to-back semifinals at the Major for the first time in his career.
Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz came back from a set down to defeat American Tommy Paul in his quarterfinal clash. The 21-year-old struggled in the first set but quickly mounted a comeback to win the match 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
Alcaraz faced Medvedev in the Wimbledon semifinal in 2023 and won in straight sets 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. This year, the Spaniard is unbeaten in his last 12 matches at the All England Lawn Tennis Club and looks set to extend his streak against his Russian rival.
With a potential final against Novak Djokovic on the line, Alcaraz and Medvedev will give it their all in their semifinal clash. Alcaraz leads Medvedev 4-2 in their head-to-head, but with the Russian in the best grasscourt form of his life, an upset for the defending champion could well be on the cards.