Mumbai: “Well, this is not the right player to play in a quarter-final, I guess.”
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic. (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz was speaking about his potential last-eight opponent even earlier than that participant had stepped on courtroom for his fourth-round match on the Australian Open. Such was the air of inevitability.
Positive sufficient, Novak Djokovic held his find yourself, sweeping previous twenty fourth seed Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) and speeding off with out giving an on-court interview in protest in opposition to feedback made on air by a reporter of the official broadcaster Channel 9 (what’s an Australian Open with out some Djokovic controversy!). Alcaraz was additionally fast in reserving his spot, Briton Jack Draper compelled to retire as a consequence of a hip harm after going two units down.
And so, the rematch of the Paris Olympics ultimate is ready for Tuesday. Besides, it’s come so much sooner at Melbourne Park; primarily all the way down to the 37-year-old Djokovic’s dip in world rating and seeding as a consequence of his selective event play.
Neither, one may safely assume, would suppose the opposite is the “right player” to play at this untimely stage. Djokovic, a document 10-time champion on the season-opening Grand Slam, is into his fifteenth quarter-final on the Australian Open. The final time he misplaced there was in 2014. Alcaraz is already into his tenth Slam quarter-final at age 21, equalling probably the most appearances by any man earlier than turning 22. The 2 are the largest Grand Slam contenders going round in males’s tennis at the moment, other than Jannik Sinner who’s easing alongside within the different half of the draw.
They’ve by no means confronted every on the Australian Open earlier than. They’ve by no means confronted one another within the quarter-final of a Grand Slam earlier than.
“For me, it’s not going to change anything if I’m playing him in quarter-final or semi-final,” Alcaraz stated. “Probably changes a little bit if it is a final, obviously.”
Their earlier two clashes have been finals. And never simply any ultimate. The 2 performed one another for the Paris Olympics singles gold and the Wimbledon crown final yr, with Alcaraz shining on grass and Djokovic scorching on clay. So shut and intense have been these two encounters — they have been straight units on paper however a gripping watch — that it raised their riveting rivalry by a few notches.
Djokovic versus Sinner has to date been a story of one-way site visitors in the direction of both at completely different factors (Djokovic gained their first three contests, Sinner the newest three). With Djokovic versus Alcaraz, nobody has had a definite edge at any level. It rests 4-3 in favour of the Serb, however switches to 2-1 in favour of the Spaniard in Grand Slams. They’ve solely met as soon as in an out of doors hard-court event, within the ultimate of the ATP Cincinnati Masters. It turned out to be arguably the match of the 2023 season that Djokovic gained in three tight units, two of them going to tiebreakers.
No marvel Djokovic is anticipating a “big battle” on Tuesday; additionally as a result of he sees a bit little bit of his greatest rival, Rafael Nadal, on this younger Spaniard.
“He’s a very dynamic, explosive player. Incredibly talented. Charismatic player. Great to watch, not that great to play against,” Djokovic stated. “I look forward to it. I think when the draw was out, a lot of the people were looking forward to this potential match-up in quarter-finals, Alcaraz versus me. So here we are.”
One of many greatest elements why this rivalry has constructed an interesting style is that the five-time Grand Slam winner actually believes he can beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion each time he steps on courtroom. That mindset explains Alcaraz taking the bragging rights of their first assembly. And beating him not simply as soon as however twice in a Wimbledon ultimate.
“I know my weapons. I know that (if) I’m able to play good tennis against him, I’m able to beat him,” Alcaraz stated.
At this Australian Open, Djokovic actually hasn’t carried that very same aura of invincibility. He took his time to get going within the first spherical the place he dropped the opening set, and has performed removed from the extent one has come to count on from him throughout the primary two rounds. The third-round win in opposition to Tomas Machac was extra prefer it. So was his present on Sunday in opposition to Lehecka, who got here into this event after profitable the ATP Brisbane title. Djokovic, although, by no means actually let the Czech settle and was notably exact together with his returns of serve.
“I think the last two matches have been really high level,” Djokovic stated.
The ten-time champion has warmed up for larger battles forward. Alcaraz certainly is, regardless of the Spaniard having a modest document on the Australian Open. He has solely made the quarters to date in Melbourne, however has appeared by far one of the best this time amongst his 4 appearances. The tweak in his service movement has helped earn Alcaraz extra low-cost factors from his first strike, and he has appeared dialled in from the primary level of his season’s curtain raiser.
However taking up Djokovic on the Australian Open is a problem in contrast to another. A problem unknown to Alcaraz to date. Djokovic has seen all of it, besides Alcaraz on the Australian Open. Who’s your decide?