With sweat still trickling from his brow and adrenaline still coursing through his body, Stefanos Tsitsipas walked off the court the other day, victorious, at Roland Garros. Realizing that his next opponent would be Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, Tsitsipas declared, “The clash we’ve all been waiting for!”
Here was the No. 5 player in the world indicating that even he was in on the joke, a tacit acknowledgment that he was just a signpost on the way to an inevitable destination.
Ever since the 2023 French Open draw was released two weeks ago, the possibility of a semifinal collision between Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic was not just breathlessly anticipated but declared the event’s de facto final. And the two players haven’t just done their part, winning the required five matches apiece; they have added to the hype, discharging their duties with top-flight tennis that emphasizes their strengths.
