Novak Djokovic Beats Carlos Alcaraz in Australian Open Quarterfinal

In a match that lived up to its billing, Novak Djokovic overcame a leg injury and a set deficit to defeat Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a thrilling quarterfinal at the Australian Open.

Djokovic, the 10-time Australian Open champion, will now face Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. The Serbian star has now won 23 consecutive matches at the Australian Open, dating back to 2019.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, will have to wait another year to try and win his first Australian Open title. The Spaniard has now lost four of his last five matches against Djokovic, including the gold-medal match at the Olympic Games in Paris last year.

Despite the loss, Alcaraz can take plenty of positives from his performance against Djokovic. The 21-year-old Spaniard played some of the best tennis of his career, and he will be one of the favorites to win the title at the next major tournament.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the match:

Djokovic's injury scare: Djokovic called for a medical timeout early in the first set after sustaining a leg injury. He returned to the court with his right thigh wrapped, but it was clear that he was not at 100%.
Alcaraz's inspired tennis: Alcaraz played some of the best tennis of his career in the first hour of the match. The Spaniard was aggressive and dictating play, and he looked like he was on his way to a straight-set victory.
Djokovic's resilience: Despite his injury, Djokovic refused to give up. He upped his aggression and started to play more freely, and he slowly but surely took control of the match.
The clutch moments: Djokovic came up big in the clutch moments of the match. He saved break points in the fourth-set service game to consolidate his break, and he also navigated out of a 15-40 hole in his next service game to consolidate once more.
Alcaraz's frustration: Alcaraz's frustration boiled over in the final set, as he made a number of unforced errors. The Spaniard was clearly disappointed with his performance, but he can take plenty of positives from the match.

The match between Djokovic and Alcaraz was a classic, and it will go down as one of the greatest matches in Australian Open history. The two players will now have a few days to rest and recover before they face off again in the semifinals.