Novak Djokovic reaches his seventh French Open final with four-set win over Carlos Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic stands on the brink of his 23rd Grand Slam title after Carlos Alcaraz wilted in the face of the immense challenge he presents in Grand Slams.

The 20 year-old Spaniard succumbed 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 in their much-anticipated French Open semi-final after a severe attack of cramp early in the third set removed his ability to compete properly.

Djokovic was left awaiting the winner of the second match between Alex Zverev and Casper Ruud and is sure to be the favourite for Sunday.

It was a sad end to a match which had previously often lived up to its billing, at least in terms of some sensational points played.

Ultimately this will have been brought about by both the physical nature of the match and the mental pressure felt by Alcaraz, especially after a see-sawing second set. In early April at the Miami Open he was also afflicted by cramping in the semi-finals.

Novak Djokovic stands on the brink of his 23rd Grand Slam title after beating Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz put up a good fight in the opening two sets, but succumbed to struggles with cramp

His time will come, but for now Djokovic remains the supreme battler, who understands so well the rhythms and demands of a best of five set match.

Djokovic said afterwards: ‘I have to say tough luck for Carolos at this level, the last thing you want is friends with physical problems, I feel for him and I hope he can recover. I told him at the net he knows how young he is and I’m sure he is going to win this title many times. It’s tough for him not to know if he should finish the match, congratulations to him for hanging in until the last point. We were both at the physical limit towards the end of the second set. It was quite an even match, from that moment onwards it was a different match. I saw that he was struggling but I didn’t want to think about the other side of the net. It’s not easy to maintain the intensity of the match. I’m incredibly proud to reach another final.’ 

The players emerged into yet another hot, sunny and windy day at Roland Garros before a packed and expectant Court Philippe Chatrier.

Alcaraz looked edgy in the first set and Djokovic broke for 3-1 with the Spaniard getting into trouble when he betrayed his early nerves, inexplicably taking the wrong option when he had his opponent stranded at the net and allowing him into the game at 30-15.

He created three break points to come back, but got tight on each of them, his dropshots not quite having their usual precision under pressure. The Serb was already showing that he is the ultimate match player and was profiting from going hard at his opponent’s forehand and driving him wide.

Alcaraz was mixing some brilliant shots with his errors, and produced one of the greatest individual winners of recent years in the fourth game of the second set.

Djokovic hit what looked like a volleyed winner with the Spaniard at the net, but somehow he outran it and scrambled back to pivot and hit a forehand pass.

The world No 1 was playing some brilliant points amidst his errors while facing Djokovic

The Serbian reached his seventh final at Roland Garros, with the ending more like a procession

Soon after the Serb received treatment around the area of his right forearm and wrist, and Alcaraz seized the moment. Amid moments of sheer brilliance and some unfathomable errors breaks of serve were exchanged. Alcaraz ended up levelling the match when he broke to love, and had to wait as Djokovic took a toilet break to change clothes.

Then came the cramping, after two hours and 28 minutes of punishing combat, and following a period when it looked like Alcaraz was trying to shorten the points. At the end of the second game of the third set his right calf seized up amid trying to return a serve into the body.

He required immediate treatment and, as the rules dictate, had to forfeit a game as it was deemed to be genuine cramp by the physio. His arm also appeared to be stiffening. The crowd booed predictably as the scoreboard confirmed this rare occurrence, but this was ultimately a loss of physical condition, brought on by the size of the occasion.

From there onwards the set became a procession and within twenty minutes Djokovic was two sets up. Alcaraz went off for a toilet break and after coming back forced a break point, but that was as good as it got.