"If it were Novak Djokovic there would have been a sh*t ton of headlines" - Tennis fans react to Carlos Alcaraz taking mystery pills in US Open 3R

Tennis fans were taken aback when Carlos Alcaraz was spotted consuming some unidentified pills during his third-round match at the 2023 US Open.

Alcaraz secured his spot in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the third consecutive year by defeating Daniel Evans 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and 10 minutes on Saturday. The defending champion scored an impressive 60 winners on the night, well above Evans' 28, and extended his head-to-head lead over the Brit to 3-0.

During the match, Carlos Alcaraz was given a bottle containing mystery pills by his team, which caught the attention of fans on social media.

One fan claimed there was a lack of attention given to Alcaraz's use of the pills provided by his team. They opined that if it were Novak Djokovic in Alcaraz's position, the media would have been flooded with headlines.

"Alcaraz taking pills given to him by his team, and nobody is saying anything...If it were Djokovic, there would have been a sh*t ton of headlines... #USOpen2023 #USOpen," a fan posted.

Another fan expressed a similar sentiment, suggesting double standards and wondering how it would have been received had it been Djokovic doing the same.

"Alcaraz in this match: smashed his racket out of anger and received pills from his team. Not that I give a sh*t but if Djokovic did this, 40 articles would be made instantly," the fan posted.

Here are a few more fan reactions:

"I don't mind if I win or lose, we're meant to entertain" - Carlos Alcaraz acknowledges Coco Gauff's comments about him always playing with a smile

Carlos Alcaraz at the 2023 US Open

Carlos Alcaraz recently addressed Coco Gauff's observation that he approaches tennis with a joyful spirit.

Gauff expressed her desire to learn from the Spaniard about cultivating a positive attitude during intense matches, marveling at how he could be seen smiling even in the middle of tense moments on the court.

"For instance, Carlos [Alcaraz] in Cincinnati, he was losing a set every match pretty much and he wasn't playing his best, that was clear. I don't know. The way that he was still smiling, for me, against Hubi Hurkacz and he was down a set and a break or something like that, I don't know, he was down crazy or down match points. He was still smiling," Gauff said.

"I was, like, if he can smile, he's No. 1 in the world and he has all this pressure, he's supposed to beat Hubi on paper, then I can do it in situations maybe where, most of the time now I'm not the underdog," she added.

In response, Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged that he prioritizes enjoying himself on most occasions, irrespective of the final outcome of the match. The World No. 1 believes that tennis players are meant to entertain the fans, and not be solely focused on winning or losing.

"We try, we try. Sometimes its tough to enjoy on court, but I try to enjoy myself most of the times. Having a smile during the match, making jokes with my team as well makes me smile and show my best level. I dont mind if I win or lose, you know. If I'm losing points I still high-five my opponent. We're meant to entertain the people as well. They're looking forward to watch every match," Carlos Alcaraz said.