Matteo Berrettini acknowledged it was “weird” not having Novak Djokovic at all Grand Slams but also noted that Carlos Alcaraz deserved his success in 2022. Alcaraz, 19, took the advantage of Djokovic not playing at the US Open as he captured his first Grand Slam title and became the youngest No 1 in tennis history.
After winning his first Grand Slam and becoming the youngest No 1 in tennis history, Alcaraz also became the youngest-ever Year-End No 1. “It feels unbelievable if you think about it, what he [Carlos Alcaraz] achieved in such a short time.
I remember playing him in Australia at the beginning of the year and I played him Rio as well, and I felt he is a great player but what he did is still impressive for his age. The physicality he already has and everything, also mentally it’s not easy to deal with everything that he dealt with, so it’s impressive,” Berrettini said.
Berrettini on Djokovic’s absence and Alcaraz’s success
This year, Djokovic participated in two Grand Slams as he won Wimbledon and made the French Open quarterfinal. “At the same time we know that tennis it’s really tough, but it’s not impossible, we all know we can play our best tennis, I have to say it was a weird year with Novak not playing most of the slams, it was kind of a little weird.
But Carlos deserves the world No 1. I think everybody now is like, OK, he did it, yeah maybe it changed [our mentality] a little bit, it’s like maybe we can do it as well. Before world No 1 was Novak and Rafa, Daniil [Medvedev] already did it, which was impressive, but now, even Casper [Ruud] had the chance to be No.
1 after the US Open,” Berrettini added. Going into the 2023 season, Djokovic is expected to be able to play at least three Grand Slams. Recently, the Australian government informed Djokovic he is allowed to return to the Australian Open in January.
