By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, July 13, 2023
Wimbledon—Daniil Medvedev sees beauty in Carlos Alcaraz's brutality.
Asked to assess Alcaraz's game before the pair square off in tomorrow's Wimbledon semifinals, Medvedev said the 20-year-old Spaniard possesses a powerful skill that surpasses even 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and 22-time major winner Rafael Nadal
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Reigning US Open champion Alcaraz is more ruthlessly efficient ending points off shorter balls, Medvedev said.
Because Alcaraz's forehand is so explosive, his one-shot knockout power is scarier than Djokovic or Nadal, Medvedev told the media at Wimbledon.
In short, Medvedev says while Djokovic and Nadal are brilliant at extending rallies, Alcaraz is brutal at exterminating rallies.
"We see if you give him one easy shot, you can be in trouble," Medvedev said of Alcaraz. "Maybe big chances you're going to get a winner even with, let's say, in my opinion, with Novak or Andy, even Rafa, you kind of feel like you can have a chance to get this shot, but the thing is they're going to have 20 more.
"With Carlos, maybe you're not going to get this one. It's one shot sometimes is brutal. I think that's what the most powerful in his game. That's what I will have to try to deal with."
The attacking Alcaraz's jolting power can push opponents back behind the baseline setting up space for his damaging drop shot, which he can carve out off either wing.
Alcaraz showed all of that snapping Medvedev's 19-match winning streak with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph in the Indian Wells final last March that propelled the Spaniard back to world No. 1.
In their lone grass clash, Medvedev swept a young Alcaraz 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 at the 2021 Wimbledon.
When reigning US Open champion Alcaraz faces former US Open champion Medvedev tomorrow, he hopes to apply lessons learned from their first SW19 clash.
"He's playing great here on grass," Alcaraz said of Medvedev. "He has a great, great year as well. I lost the first match we played here on grass. So I have to learn about it...
"Well, he's really complete player. I'm going to say, I think Rublev said a few times, he's an octopus. He catch every ball. It is amazing. He's an amazing athlete. I think a mix of everything. He does almost everything well."
Photo credit: Tim Clayton/Getty