‘I’m a little Novak Djokovic and I have a plan to beat Alcaraz at the US Open’
Carlos Alcaraz will face a new opponent in the fourth round of the US Open as he takes on Matteo Arnaldi. The 22-year-old stunned 16th seed Cameron Norrie in straight sets as he reached the second week of a Major for the first time. Arnaldi has now shared his plan to face the reigning champion in New York. And Alcaraz could find himself in some trouble as the world No 61 previously branded himself a “little Novak Djokovic”.
Arnaldi is one of many players getting their maiden fourth-round appearance at a Grand Slam this week, alongside Jack Draper, Dominic Stricker, Rinky Hijikata and Borna Gojo. The young Italian has arguably the toughest test of them all as he takes on world No 1 and reigning champion Alcaraz.
But the 22-year-old is ready for the challenge and has been eyeing up the chance to play the two-time Grand Slam champion since the draw came out. And Arnaldi has previously likened himself to Alcaraz’s current biggest rival, Novak Djokovic, so he could well have the game to trouble the top seed.
Speaking to Il Messaggero in December, Arnaldi claimed that he was a “little Novak Djokovic” and even hit with the Serb at last year’s Italian Open. “He has always been my idol, in Rome I even warmed him up before a match, he is my point of reference,” he said.
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“Given the due proportions, there are some similarities: I too would define myself as a counter-attacker and I have always done the splits.” Like Djokovic, the Italian also counts outdoor hard courts as his best surface – the exact conditions at the US Open.
He added: “I grew up on that surface, then at the beginning of the year we started playing more indoors too, even if the best results so far have been on clay. The US Open and Australian Open remain the Slams where I dream of a great result: I work hard and I am very ambitious, even if you can’t say much out there, and I keep certain thoughts within the team.”
Arnaldi has already done exactly what he set out to do – having a strong result in Flushing Meadows. And he is relishing the chance to face Alcaraz after putting the Spaniard in his sights at the start of the tournament.
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“When I saw the draw, that was my goal, to go and play against him. But, you know, I never played against a World No 1,” he said after beating Norrie. “It’s just something crazy to think what I was at the start of the year and where I am now. I’m just trying to think match after match and to enjoy this moment.”
And just like in Djokovic’s matches against Alcaraz, the world No 61 will try to make it a physical battle when he steps onto Arthur Ashe Stadium to face the reigning champion. Arnaldi explained: “I mean, I don’t want to say that we play very similar, but he’s very physical, and I think I’m a bit physical. I try to play as much as I can, to bring the match in the long distance. I think, I hope it’s gonna be a good match, and really intense match, but you never know.”
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