Novak Djokovic versus Carlos Alcaraz is not a match you would expect at the quarterfinal stage of a Grand Slam. But, in a sense, it is symbolic of this era in tennis, a transition period, where the likes of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are in the process of making this their era, while Djokovic still carries on, huffing and puffing, causing “controversies” and still going for that record of most-ever Grand Slam wins. He is currently tied with Margaret Court at 24.
Djokovic—now with former rival Andy Murray as his coach—heads into the match on the back of an altercation, where he refused to give the customary on-court interview after his round of 16 win on Sunday.
He took to social media to say that a “famous sports journalist” had insulted him and the Serbian fans during a live telecast on Channel 9, the official broadcaster.
The journalist has apparently issued an apology, but whether Djokovic continues to boycott the network is anyone’s guess. After all, the Serb has a history of such off-field episodes. Remember, he had missed the 2022 Australian Open because of his stance on the Covid-19 vaccine. As an athlete who seems to be fired up by such instances, perhaps this will act as fuel.
And he’ll need all the fuel he can get. The world number 7 had a rocky start to the tournament, dropping a set to upstart American Nishesh Basavareddy—who became an online sensation that day—and then again to the Portuguese Jaime Faria in the second round. But Djokovic has since recovered, getting straight-set victories in the next two matches.
Going purely by the numbers, Djokovic is one of the best in Australian Open history; he has won it 10 times and has a record of 94-9. If he has to go past Court, this could be his best chance. But with Djokovic, you never know. He’ll keep returning Father Time’s serves as long as he can.
The man across the net also has a history in his sights. If he wins the Australian Open, the 21-year-old Spaniard will become the youngest player to complete the career slam; he has already won the other ones, most notably beating Djokovic twice at Wimbledon. He has not had a great time at the Australian Open, having had to pull out because of a leg injury in 2023 and losing in the quarterfinals in 2024. He would also want to achieve parity in the head-to-head record against Djokovic; currently, the Serb is ahead 4-3, and won their last outing at the Paris Olympics.
What works in Alcaraz’s favour is definitely the age, and also the fact that he has climbed this mountain before. He will also go into the match much fresher than Djokovic, having spent less time on the court. He has dropped only one set and got a walkover in his previous match after two sets—Brit Jack Draper withdrew because of concerns about his physical health; he had had a hip injury last season.
So perhaps a betting man would put his money on the fresh and powerful Alcaraz. However, he would do well to remember that there are only a few things certain in this world—death, taxes and Novak Djokovic refusing to give up.
