Roland Garros: Alcaraz vs. Djokovic Preview, Odds, Predictions

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic clash in the semifinals of the French Open on Friday afternoon. The two biggest tennis stars compete for the finals of the second Grand Slam this year, each having his own agenda in between. Alcaraz wants to prove himself to the audience and cement his position as the new No.1, and possibly the guy who will retire the old generation of the players. Novak is chasing immortality and glory, as the Serb sits one title short of the all-time Grand Slam record. With that missing trophy, he will become the uncontested tennis GOAT.

Preview

Carlos Alcaraz (-205) already has one Grand Slam title in his possession and is, according to the media and the experts, Rafael Nadal’s successor. He already shows that once playing on the clay, Carlos defeats his rivals with the same raw power as Nadal did in the past. 

Stefanos Tsitsipas, the former finalist here in Paris, felt Alcaraz’s power in the quarterfinals, with the Green winning only three games in the opening set. He took a 2-0 lead in the opening sequence and experienced what is like to be blown into pieces after that.

Alcaraz’s previous rivals were Cobollo, Daniel, Shapovalov and Musetti, and we can say that the Spaniard’s path towards the finals has been quite challenging. 

Novak Djokovic (+150) is winning, but we can’t say that the Serb plays his best tennis. His time off following the Australian Open has had a negative impact, and it was evident during the start of the clay season that Nole isn’t anywhere near his form.

Yes, the Joker lost only one set throughout the entire tournament in Paris, and on the other hand, he won all of his four tie-breaks, but this isn’t Novak at his top speed. Besides that, the audience and Novak have some sort of dispute, and they are constantly against the Serb, even though he is a great champion.

Djokovic’s rivals until the semis haven’t been that impressive. The first round saw Novak defeating Kovacevic, the second Martin Fuscovics, and after that Davidovich-Fokina, Varilla and at last, Karen Khachanov.

Head to Head Games

So far, these two players have met only once, and that was last year at the Masters in Madrid. The surface was the same as here at Garros, and the tournament stage was also the same, the semis. Alcaraz won the battle after three tight sets, losing the first one, 6-7, and winning the next two, 7-5 and 7-6.

Prediction

We already stated that Novak isn’t in his best form, and to beat Alcaraz right now, you need to be perfect. The Spaniard’s improvement over the past six months has been more than noticeable once compared to the previous season, and that’s why the bookmakers see him as the favorite here. Even though we favor Novak and his chase for glory, the fact is that Alcaraz’s game is at a higher level than Novak’s. Therefore, Spaniard’s win here is the final pick. The way he smashed Tsitsipas was mind-blowing, and that was a strong message about his form and current shape. 

Pick: Carlos Alcaraz wins -205