Corretja calls Cincinnati Open loss to Djokovic a 'perfect lesson' for Alcaraz, doesn't see 23-time Grand Slam champion having mental edge
ATPThursday, 24 August 2023 at 16:24
Alex Corretja believes that Carlos Alcaraz won't be affected by the loss to Novak Djokovic at the Cincinnati Open going into the US Open.
Many will look towards the routes of both tonight in the draw and be craving another round, but Corretja doesn't see Djokovic now having the mental edge for gaining revenge from Wimbledon.
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“I think as long as you give you 100 per cent, you always go 'tranquillo' (calm) out of the court,” Corretja said.
“You feel like, ‘Okay, I give everything I had and I know that I couldn't do anything more’.
“Of course, you can do something better at some points because if you go back and watch the match, you might feel like maybe that second set or whatever...but your mind and your soul and your conscious is quiet.
“It's relaxed because you felt like you gave everything you had.
"Maybe you could just [hit] different shots in different moments. But this is part of the game and part of the momentum where you need to choose.”
No mental baggage for Alcaraz
For Corretja, he doesn't see Alcaraz having any mental baggage from his devastating Cincinnati final loss after being in a winning position. Pointing towards his cramps in the Roland Garros final compared to then winning Wimbledon, he believes it will only make him stronger.
“I don't think it should affect him because for him it's a perfect final,” he added.
“It's a perfect lesson moment, he learned from RG [Roland Garros] semi-final and then he did unbelievable at Wimbledon.
“Now, this is another final with where he knows how to be there with Novak. So I don't think he should go thinking any bad feelings, especially [given] he's going into the tournament where he won last year.
“He already won another major, which may help him to understand that he can do it again."
“I think every time they play they start knowing each other a little bit better,” Corretja continued.
“I think for both it's good. I think for Carlos because he's going to know how to deal in this important moment, which I think Novak he's been through many, many, many times before.
“They know that is going to be a big battle all the time. They know it’s going to be very important to take the chances they've got because if not, maybe in the future, they won't have those chances.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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