Tennis icon John McEnroe has commended Novak Djokovic for his dignified response following Friday's straight-sets loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semi-finals.
Speaking on ESPN, McEnroe observed that whilst the Serbian rarely experiences defeat, his conduct remains exemplary.
"He doesn't lose much, but he's always been gracious enough when he does," McEnroe remarked. "He always gives the players their due. But this is an incredible challenger [Alcaraz]."
The 38-year-old Djokovic fell 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 to Alcaraz, marking his fourth semi-final exit at grand slam tournaments this year.
John McEnroe was impressed by Novak Djokovic's professionalism
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The defeat continues a two-year drought since his last major victory at the 2023 US Open.
Following the match, Djokovic displayed remarkable candour about the current state of men's tennis.
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"It's never fun losing a tennis match, but at the same time, if I'm to lose to someone, I would lose to these two guys," Djokovic stated, referring to Alcaraz and Sinner.
"I know that they are just better at the moment. You just have to hand it to them and say, 'Well done.'"
The 24-time grand slam champion revealed he has fallen to either Alcaraz or Sinner in three of this year's four major semi-finals.
Novak Djokovic admitted the better man won in his US Open semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz
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"I lost three out of four Slams in semis against these guys, so they're just too good, playing on a really high level," Djokovic acknowledged.
The dominance of tennis's new generation has become undeniable, with Alcaraz and Sinner capturing all seven major championships since Djokovic's 2023 US Open triumph.
Djokovic admitted his physical limitations played a crucial role in the defeat.
"Unfortunately, I ran out of gas after the second set [against Alcaraz]," he explained.
"I think I had enough energy to battle him and to keep up with his rhythm for two sets. After that I was gassed out, and he kept going."
The Serbian acknowledged similar struggles against Sinner, noting that five-set matches against these younger rivals have become increasingly challenging during the latter stages of grand slam tournaments.
When questioned about whether Djokovic might retire, McEnroe expressed uncertainty.
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Carlos Alcaraz was in roaring form against Novak Djokovic on Friday
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"I don't know. It's all up to him," the American admitted. "In a way, I wouldn't be surprised if he stopped. But I would be surprised if he tried to go one more year. That would be my bet."
McEnroe noted that Djokovic remains the world's third-best player despite the emergence of the younger stars.
"He's been the third-best player in the world this year. That's what he was," McEnroe observed.
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Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are dominating tennis right now
|REUTERS
The seven-time grand slam winner marvelled at how rapidly Alcaraz and Sinner have established their dominance.
"These two [Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner], it's incredible. How quickly they've just dominated the game," McEnroe said.