AGEING MASTER PREVAILS

Djokovic wins epic quarter-final against young Spaniard Alcaraz despite leg injury

- Rohit Brijnath

MELBOURNE - Above, on a cloudy Melbourne night, not a star was to be seen. No matter, for in the cauldron below, two glittered for three hours and 37 minutes. On Rod Laver Arena an ageing master met a young champion in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and a shining battle of intensity and intelligence broke out.

Fists were shaken, teeth bared, ovations given and 33-shot rallies endured. In the end, Novak Djokovic, 37, despite an injury to his left leg, was still standing and Carlos Alcaraz, 21, had gone home. The greatest player of all time is no longer No. 1 but on this night he was still the better one. The Serbian No. 7 seed upset the Spanish No. 3 seed to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

The Serb roared, hugged his phlegmatic coach Andy Murray and packed his rackets. They still do things we can't quite believe. "I wish," the Serb said later, "this match today was the final." Its quality was high and its emotion turbulent and he described it as "one of the most epic matches I've played on any court".

Drama began before seats were properly taken. Alcaraz hit an astonishing backhand volley but found himself broken in his first service game. Next game, he broke back with a silky backhand down the line. The Spaniard was spectacular, the Serb solid. Alcaraz had 13 winners in the first set but also 13 unforced errors. In a way he was blunting his own beauty.