Google News Top-100 player tells why Novak Djokovic is more difficult to play than Carlos Alcaraz
by DZEVAD MESIC
World No 81 Alexandre Muller finds Novak Djokovic as "the more impressive" to face than Carlos Alcaraz as the Frenchman claims the Serb "does not let you breathe" on the court. Muller, 26, met Alcaraz for the first time at this year's Wimbledon before facing Djokovic at the US Open.
Against Alcaraz, Muller suffered a three-set defeat but he didn't embarrass himself as the Spaniard won with a 6-4 7-6 (2) 6-3 score. Muller managed to compete well against Alcaraz at Wimbledon but he wasn't able to do the same when he faced Djokovic two months later at the US Open as the Serb dismantled the Frenchman 6-0 6-2 6-3.
“Djoko doesn’t let you breathe. There were 6-0, 2-0, I was afraid. I said to myself: ‘Am I going to play?’ Whereas Alcaraz, he is more flamboyant, but I had small games where I was able to win easily. Djokovic is more impressive,” Muller told Tennis Actu.
What Muller said after his US Open match against Djokovic?
In the US Open first round, Muller was able to win just five games against Djokovic. After the match, Muller admitted that Djokovic's level was just too much for him. “I wasn’t on cloud nine and didn’t play my best tennis, but I played my game.
But he was really strong. In addition, I have a game that suits him because I play from the distance and in this area he is better than me. They are two different games. We talked about it with my coach Gérard Solvès.
I told him that against Alcaraz, I knew I was going to score plays. He tries a lot, so he makes a lot more mistakes. But against Novak, I felt like if he wanted to put me three times 6-0, he could do it. He’s so solid, he doesn’t give any free points and it’s more complicated for me," Muller told L'Equipe after his US Open loss to Djokovic.