Carlos Alcaraz Mats Wilander Tim Henman France tennis Sporting sprint experts Carlos Alcaraz Mats Wilander Tim Henman France

French Open: Carlos Alcaraz miracle shot stuns experts: 'Absolute joke! I’ve never seen anything like it'

eurosport.com

Carlos Alcaraz may have seen his 2023 French Open hopes fade away after he lost to Novak Djokovic having suffered from cramps in their semi-final, but his miracle shot will be remembered for years to come.

The world No. 1 and top seed eventually lost out in four sets, 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1, to the 22-time Grand Slam champion on Court Philippe-Chatrier, but he undoubtedly produced the shot of the day — and arguably the entire tournament — as he thrilled the crowd with an unusual scoop in the second set.

Ad Forced to the back of the court by Djokovic, the Spaniard clearly considered playing a tweener, but at the last minute twisted his torso and instead scooped the ball with a flick of his wrist for an utterly outrageous cross-court winner.

Roland-GarrosTop 5 shots — Alcaraz and Djokovic produce outrageous tennis in semi-finalAN HOUR AGO For Eurosport experts Tim Henman and Mats Wilander, it was hard to comprehend, while the pair also turned their attention to why Alcaraz was not able to live with Djokovic physically when he eventually suffered from cramp in the gruelling clash. «This shot is an absolute joke!» Henman told Eurosport after watching the miraculous effort back. «I’ve never seen anything like it.

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Having battled through 59 encounters with Rafael Nadal over 16 years of epic rivalry, Novak Djokovic faces the Spanish legend's apparent heir Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open in a match laced with era-defining potential. Djokovic will be playing a 45th Grand Slam semi-final on Friday; for Alcaraz, it will be just his second. With Roger Federer retired and Nadal nursing a hip injury until next year, 36-year-old Djokovic has the responsibility of preserving the legacy of the 'Big Three'.
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