GENERATION GAME

After a few near misses, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have been placed on a collision course at the French Open. Jamie Braidwood on a potential gift from the tennis gods

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When the French Open reaches its semi-final stage at Roland Garros, 391 days will have passed since Carlos Alcaraz faced Novak Djokovic for the first time and gave tennis the shot in the arm it needed. As moments of sporting symbolism go, Alcaraz defeating Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on consecutive days on the Madrid clay, aged 18, was as clear as they come, and foreshadowed what happened next: the Spaniard winning his first grand slam at the US Open and finishing the year as the youngest world No 1 in history.

But as everything happened so quickly and Alcaraz's star rose at an astonishing rate, something else has taken longer to materialise: the rematch. Over the past year, Djokovic and Alcaraz have circled each other, but with their orbits barely touching. Grand slam titles and the world No 1 ranking have passed between them, but without a second meeting. Alcaraz's US Open title came as Djokovic was unable to travel to New York, then Djokovic triumphed at the Australian Open while Alcaraz missed out due to injury.

Both absences left a void that has been filled by debate: with both players reaching great highs without needing to face each other. Thankfully, the tennis gods have replied. At the French Open, Djokovic and Alcaraz have been drawn in the same half of the tournament. The semi-finals could stage their long-awaited second act, and the first in best-of-five sets. With Rafael Nadal absent from Roland Garros for the first time since 2005, Djokovic's main rival at the French Open has gone from being a 37-year-old to a 20-year-old.