"Will win this tournament many times": Djokovic was full of praise for Alcaraz after unfortunate end to Roland Garros tie

The highly-anticipated match between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at this year's Roland Garros (French Open) ended on a sour note, as Alcaraz obtained leg injury that severely hindered his performance and handed Djokovic the victory.

The Serbian prevailed 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 to reach his seventh French Open final, as Alcaraz was hindered by mobility issues after picking up leg cramps at the beginning of the third set. The Spaniard would forfeit his serve to receive treatment, and was a shell of himself following the medical timeout.

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After his victory, Djokovic was full of praise for Alcaraz, stating the 20-year old's youth and potential put him in place to win several Grand Slams in the future.

"I have to say tough luck to Carlos,” Djokovic said. “At this level, the last thing you want is cramp and physical problems at the late stages of a Grand Slam. I feel for him, and I hope he can recover, and come back very soon.

“I told him at the net he knows how young he is; he has plenty of time ahead of him and will win this tournament many times. He’s an unbelievable player, an incredible competitor, and a very nice guy. He deserves all the applause and support.

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“It’s tough for him to not know whether to retire or not, but to finish the way he did, congratulations to him for fighting all the way to the end. Great respect for that.“

Djokovic will face last year's runner-up Casper Ruud in Sunday's final, with the Serbian hoping to win a record 23rd Grand Slam title.

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