Tennis Grand Slam: French OPEN Roland Garros - Semifinals are set - 09.06.2023: Alcaraz vs Djokovic; Zverev vs. Ruud - NAANII GLOBAL Luxury/Quality Family Lifestyle MAGAZINE 'en Vogue' - NAANII GLOBAL Quality & Luxury Family Lifestyle - MAGAZINE 'en Vogue'-

Tennis Grand Slam: French OPEN Roland Garros - Semifinals are set - 09.06.2023:

Zverev vs. Ruud
Alcaraz vs Djokovic

RUUD, ZVEREV PEAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME

The pair put difficult times behind them as they square off in intriguing semi-final on Friday Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev both left Paris with lingering heartache last June, but for very different reasons.
World No.4 Ruud broke new ground, launching into his maiden Grand Slam final, before a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 demolition by Rafael Nadal.


A couple of days earlier, Zverev was down 7-6(8), 6-6 in a pulsating semi-final with eventual champion Nadal, when disaster struck. The German suffered a three-ligament tear in his right ankle, leaving Court Philippe-Chatrier on crutches.
For Zverev, Roland-Garros 2023 has been his tale of redemption, which gained some serious momentum with a four-set triumph over Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old is no stranger to the latter stages of majors, but his sixth Grand Slam semi-final, against Ruud on Friday, has a particularly sweet taste to it.
"Roland-Garros was definitely a tournament that I marked on my calendar this year," said Zverev, who returned to competition in January after a six-month hiatus.
"I'm extremely happy with how things are going, but the tournament is not over yet. There are still potentially two very, very difficult matches ahead, and I'm looking forward to that."

Six months of rehab out the way, the former world No.2 has since been searching for his elite level, to be able to play on instincts again. At times he's had to "remind myself of who you were", in terms of posting big results and lifting prestigious trophies.
His patience has been tested to the limit.
"It took longer than expected. Still, beginning of the season, Australia I was playing on one leg still. Then I think until basically Indian Wells, Miami, I was still in pain at times," said Zverev, who is a three-time Masters 1000 champion on clay.
"I was not able to practise normally. I think it was just getting through the process. After that it also takes time to feel the confidence again in your leg to be sliding around the court, being able to move the way you were.
"I'm talking about the injury more than I'm thinking about it. It's in the past now."
© Nicolas Gouhier/FFT


The 2020 US Open finalist has clicked back into his major mindset.
"Grand Slams are tennis history. That's what you play for. I think the two most important things in tennis are Grand Slams and the Olympic Games," said Zverev, who won singles gold at Tokyo 2020.
"When you are in a semi-final or final of either of those, I think that's very different than being in a final of another tournament."
Ruud has also been re-channelling his major mindset. Alongside his Roland-Garros success, the Norwegian was finalist at the US Open last September. His 2023 campaign did not get off to a strong start, however, as the 24-year-old attempted to back up his 2022 heroics.
A title on clay in Estoril, and a semi-final showing in Rome were positive signs for Ruud, who is now peaking at the right time, with a dominant 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 quarter-final victory over Holger Rune in Wednesday's night session further boosting his confidence.
"It's for sure maybe the biggest win of the year for me considering how the year has been, so very happy with it," said Ruud.
Injuries, patchy form and expectations are all out the window. On Friday, Zverev will walk onto court with a 2-1 head-to-head edge over his opponent. On the other hand, Ruud prevailed in their last encounter, a three-set win in the Miami Open quarter-finals last March.
"It's going to be hopefully a fun one. I think it's great to see Sascha back. I think both for him and me, this is our biggest result this year, reaching the semi-final," said Ruud.
"I think we will try to play with shoulders down and just try to enjoy it.
©Pauline Ballet / FFT
"It's been a tough year for Sascha, and he has fought his way back. The beginning of this year for me has not been great, so it's great to get a good result here for me. 
"We would both love, of course, to be in the final on Sunday, so we're going to give it all and we're going to be ready to hopefully put on a good match." 
Meanwhile, Zverev knows there will be no room for complacency.
"Ruud has been there before. He was in the final here last year, so he knows exactly what it means and what it takes," said the No.22 seed.



DJOKOVIC, ALCARAZ EACH WANT TO 'BEAT THE BEST'
There is mutual respect between the young world No.1 and 22-time Grand Slam champion
Every once in a while, a competitor emerges with a presence so powerful it is impossible not to be struck by their aura, no matter the age or experience of the person bearing witness.
The Roland-Garros semi-final between 22-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz on Friday is a meeting of awe-inspiring talents.

From the beginnings of their tennis careers, the excellence of their repertoire and their conviction and belief has made the wisest tour heads pause in disbelief.

It is tennis folklore that Toni Nadal, uncle and former coach of 14-time Roland-Garros champion Rafael Nadal, was stunned when setting eyes on Djokovic in 2005.
A month after his nephew won his first Roland-Garros title, Toni was walking through the back courts of Wimbledon and saw the Serb: alarm bells rang.
He rushed back to the locker room to declare, “Rafael. We have a problem.”

Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 Roland-Garros champion who coaches Alcaraz, had a similar reaction when introduced to the most exciting newcomer in tennis since Djokovic.

Ferrero, who defeated the Serb just the one time, in Croatia, a few weeks after Uncle Toni’s soothsaying experience at Wimbledon, was similarly inspired by the teenager from Spanish Murcia.

As well as Djokovic, the former world No.1 competed against Nadal and Roger Federer and said when offered the opportunity to coach Alcaraz, he wanted to enhance his natural flourish.

“I think he is ready to try to do big things in tennis,” Ferrero said.


The whole world is watching
Friday afternoon’s semi-final between the young champion and the enduring legend is a special moment for tennis.

This is the first time the 20-year-old reigning US Open winner and double Roland-Garros champion Djokovic have met in a major.

They shared a classic in Madrid last year with the No.1 seed edging the elder statesman in a deciding set tiebreak 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5).
The epic encounter whetted the appetite of everyone for more and the moment has almost arrived.

The assessment both rivals have used illustrates their mutual respect. Namely, to “be the best, you have to beat the best”.
Djokovic, 36, had safely booked a spot in the semi-final with a hard-fought victory over Karen Khachanov when he said it is a “match that a lot of people want to see”.

“It's definitely the biggest challenge for me so far in the tournament,” he said.


Alcaraz, who was outstanding in his defeat of Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets on Tuesday night, said “since the draw came out, everyone was expecting that match”.
“Myself as well. I really want to play that match,” he said.

The pivotal factor
It is a conundrum of the ages. Does youth trump experience? Or vice-versa?
Having seen Federer retire and witnessed the injury struggles of Nadal, Djokovic is mindful of his tennis mortality but still moves like a man many years younger.

Alcaraz has an answer for almost every question posed on court, but he is mindful this question of age or experience will be resolved only when match point has been decided.
“I want to think my youth [is the key],” he said.
“But it's going to be his 45th semi-final of a Grand Slam. This is going to be my second. I would say the experience is better at that point. But I'm not going to think about that.”

A statistical edge for Alcaraz
When weighing the young champion against the legend, it is scarcely surprising they rate highly in several metrics at Roland-Garros this year.
Djokovic is widely considered to have one of the most accomplished returns of serve in history. At Roland-Garros in 2023, he is breaking serve four times in every 10 games. It is a staggering strike rate. Yet heading into the semi-final, his opponent betters it.
Trying to hold serve against Alcaraz at Roland-Garros is akin to a coin toss. One game will be heads, the other tails. He is breaking serve at least once in every two service games.

In other key statistical areas, Alcaraz has been slightly more formidable from the forehand side and sits in the top 10 from a percentage breakdown for winners from that wing.
Djokovic has attacked the net 145 times and claimed the point on 97 occasions.
Alcaraz has won the same number of points there, but has approached the net less frequently.
Not surprisingly, from the baseline they reign supreme, with Alcaraz marginally edging Djokovic when it comes to the overall percentage of points won.

Youth versus experience? With Ferrero's assessment that both players are "playing at an amazing level”, no matter what unfolds, Roland-Garros is set to witness a spectacular showdown between two champions.