Alcaraz vows to get better after “losing his mind” against Medvedev in US Open semi-finals

Carlos Alcaraz was a heavy favorite to book his spot alongside Novak Djokovic in the US Open final, but that did not turn out to be the case.

Daniil Medvedev avenged lopsided losses to Alcaraz in Indian Wells and at Wimbledon earlier this year by upsetting the world No 1 7-6 (3), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 on Friday night.

The first decisive moment came in a first-set tiebreaker. It was all tied up at 3-3 through six points, but Medvedev promptly reeled off four in a row in his favor to take the set. It was a turning point that Alcaraz would lament during his post-match press conference.

“I think I started the match pretty well,” the 20-year-old assessed. “It was a close first set. In the tiebreak, after 3-all, let’s say, I lost my mind. I made three or four points without control. I didn’t think. I totally lost my mind in that set. (I was) fighting for 50 minutes and then for four points (I) lost my mind. It was really tough for me to handle it.”

It was tough for me to stay calm.

Carlos Alcaraz

Following that disappointment, Alcaraz struggled with his game and his mentality throughout a lopsided second set. After winning just a single game in the set, it looked like Spaniard was going to break his racket. He restrained himself, however.

“I almost threw the racquet to floor,” Alcaraz admitted. “I just control myself just be in the moment, but it was tough for me to stay calm.”

Alcaraz hopes to learn from loss

Alcaraz briefly got back on track in the third set, but it wasn’t enough to come all the way back and defend his 2022 US Open. Now the top seed will have to go back to the drawing board and improve in time for his fall tournaments — which will include the Nitto ATP Finals.

“I think I’m gonna think about this loss for a long time,” Alcaraz commented. “Of course I have to learn about it. I want to be better. You know, these kind of matches help you a lot to be better and grow up in these kind of situations. But I have to talk with my team, with Juan Carlos (Ferrer), and how I can be better.”

On Friday he was not good enough to match Medvedev’s amazing quality of play.

“He played a really, really great game,” Alcaraz praised. “So I couldn’t find solutions on the match. I thought that right now I am [a good enough] player to find solutions when the match is not going in the right direction for you. But after this match I’m gonna change my mind.

“I’m not mature enough to handle these kind of matches. So I have to learn about it.”

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