Alexander Zverev admits Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic “are at a level of their own” and believes that the other players need to “catch up.”
According to the German, the top two seeds in the men’s game maintain a “very, very similar” level following his defeat to Alcaraz at the 2023 US Open. The #12 seed was defeated 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 by defending champion Alcaraz in the quarters at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday. Zverev also faced Djokovic, who is set to replace Alcaraz as #1 at the end of New York major, in the semis of Cincinnati Masters last month where the 36-year old bagged a straight sets 7-6(5), 7-5 win against him.
Both Djokovic and Alcaraz shared the two epic finals – Wimbledon and Cincinnati – between them and could be roped in for a third one at the season-ending major in New York.
Speaking after his loss to the 20-year old Spaniard, Zverev declared that the dominant duo have separated themselves from the rest of the lot.
“Well, I mean, I played Novak in Cincinnati, I played Carlos here. I think they are very, very similar from the level of the game,” said the German in his post-match press conference.
“There are some things that Novak does better, there are some things that Carlos does better. I think they are at a level of their own at the moment. Yeah, the other guys gotta catch up. That’s as simple as that.”
The 26-year old also praised Alcaraz’s ability to raise his level on the crucial points in the match.
“If I remember correctly, I think we were in the rally once, and I missed a backhand down the line. I think maybe I shouldn’t have gone for that because I was winning quite a lot of rallies until that point,” explained Zverev.
“Second break point I don’t remember, to be honest. I mean, I don’t know. It’s tough to say, because there was only a few important moments in this match, to be honest, which he played well. Maybe I went for a wrong decision, wrong shot, in a way.
“But I thought even though I lost first set I thought it was going to be a competitive match. I thought my level was there. I thought his level was there. I thought it was going to be a fun one.
“I think first or second game, I think first game already in the second set I felt something wrong. Then I didn’t give up, but there is very little you can do in a way against Carlos then.”
Alcaraz will face #3 seed Daniil Medvedev in the final four of the US Open, while Djokovic will take on young and rising American Ben Shelton.