Carlos Alcaraz insists he doesn’t think Novak Djokovic’s injury troubles were a ‘show’

Carlos Alcaraz insists he doesn’t think Novak Djokovic’s injury troubles during their Australian Open quarter-final were a “show”, despite appearing to mimic the Serbian’s brief hindered movement in frustration ahead of the fourth set.

Djokovic hobbled off the court with medical staff when trailing 5-4 in the first set and appeared long odds to finish Tuesday night’s match at Rod Laver Arena, let alone win it.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Carlos Alcaraz mimics Novak Djokovic after injury conjecture.

The 37-year-old was struggling to move and winced after the majority of points during the second set as experts wondered if he’d be able to continue.

But after hobbling around during the second set — which he somehow won — Djokovic suddenly managed to regain his movement during a wild third set that featured three breaks of serve and went the way of the Serb.

The 10-time Australian Open champion then closed it out in the fourth to seal a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory and progress through to his 12th men’s singles semi-final at Melbourne Park.

American great John McEnroe said he saw right through Djokovic’s apparent injury, noting previous accusations that the Serb has overplayed an injury.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this routine. Don’t be fooled,” he warned.

Seemingly bemused by Djokovic’s miraculous recovery, Alcaraz couldn’t help but take a subtle dig at his opponent’s fluctuations in fitness with his own body language.

Walking back to his seat at the end of the third set, Alcaraz put on what looked like a deliberately fake limp as he clutched at his right leg.

ESPN commentator James Blake said the rolling injury circus on the other side of the net was clearly distracting Alcaraz.

“It’s kind of in his head,” Blake said.

“When he was coming to changeover, you can see the frustration, he’s kind of limping around as if he’s (injured), and he gets up and does it again, looking at his (players’) box and limping around and then sitting down.

“He’s obviously fine, just acting like he’s got some sort of an injury there.”

McEnroe said Alcaraz was within his rights to show his frustration.

“That’s what I would do if I was playing him (Djokovic),” McEnroe said.

“I’d be going right at Novak, and be like, ‘Hey, man, come on!’

“If I was playing him, I’d be like Novak right now.”

Blake added: “It’s clearly the frustration there.”

“Yeah, no kidding — I don’t blame him,” McEnroe responded.

McEnroe’s brother Patrick, a former doubles champion, said: “He’s being Novak.”

Speaking at his press conference after the game, Alcaraz wouldn’t be drawn into any assumptions, other than to say there was a clear difference between the Novak Djokovic he played in the first two sets and the one he played in the final two.

“I think everybody saw in the second set he was struggling to move,” Alcaraz said.

“I don’t know if he was running more to the forehand or the backhand, but obviously he was struggling.

“And then in the third and the fourth sets, I didn’t see anything bad from him.

“I’m not saying that he made a show, I’m just saying it’s obvious and everybody saw that he was struggling in the second set, and then in the third set and the fourth set, he was really good.”

Alcaraz said he needed to hold the dam wall up a little longer after taking the first set, but failed to do so, which cost him a spot in the semi-finals.

“I felt like I was controlling the match, and I let him get (back) into the match again. That was the biggest mistake that I made today,” the Spaniard said.

“In the second set I had to play a little bit better just to push him even more to the limit.

“He was just moving a little bit in the second set and I had to push him a bit more to the limit, and I didn’t do it. After that, I think he started to feel a bit better.

“When Novak is at this level, it’s really difficult. I had my chances, it was a really close match. Most of the crucial points went to his side.”

Djokovic has won his past two encounters against Alcaraz since the world No.3 embarrassed him in straight-sets in last year’s Wimbledon final.

Alcaraz was attempting to become the youngest player to achieve a career grand slam, having claimed last year’s French Open and Wimbledon crowns to go with his US Open title in 2022.

He equalled his best result at Melbourne Park, after also bowing out in the quarter-finals at last year’s Australian Open.