The Australian Open did it again to Alcaraz: he threw it away in favor of Djokovic

He Australian Open It’s clearly going its own way, outside the usual line of its Roland Garros Wimbledon and US Open siblings. If ‘Super Monday’ is an unusual move for a Grand Slam, the organization, Tennis Australia (TA)maintains a somewhat unique plan. Meridian in one sense, but strange in another.

As the protagonists, the ten-time champion, the Serbian Novak Djokovicand Spanish Carlos Alcarazwith four Grand Slam titles at the age of 21, potentially becoming the youngest tennis player with four ‘greats’ on his record. He has yet to conquer Melbourne, where his best result is the quarterfinals in 2024.

The slight balance, with only three participations, is having a dent in the direction of the Australian Open, which once again kicked Carlos Alcaraz to center court in favor of Novak Djokovic.

The tournament maintains a certain sense of equity between schedules Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic as they can now clash in the quarterfinal tie, where it will be the fifth match for the two in this edition. The Spaniard will play this Wednesday no earlier than one o’clock in the afternoon local time, three o’clock in the morning Spanish peninsular time. The Serbian will do it no earlier than two.

But the ‘Nole’ will repeat at the Rod Laver Arena headquarters against the Portuguese Jaime Faria, coming from the previous stage. Alcaraz will continue without hitting the main court, for the second match in a row, returning to the second stadium, Margaret Court Arena, to play against Japan. Yoshihito Nishiokaa rival with more names and records than Djokovic’s Portuguese rival.

“The truth is that I trained a lot at Margaret Court. The track is quite fast. I don’t know if I will notice the same with Rod Laver,” Alcaraz said after losing. Alexander Shevchenko. For Laver you have to keep waiting.

This has been unusual lately, as in the rest of the Grand Slams he has been seen outside the center on rare occasions. He is the current champion of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, he opened the record at the US Open. Australia is missing out.

The Australian Open reigned in Djokovic’s favor, dominating the night session, ousting the other heavyweight from the bottom of the draw, the German Alexander Zverev. In the center there are four daily matches, two for women and two for men, divided equally between day and night.

ROD LAVER ARENA (01:30 hours)

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR/1)-Jessica Bouzas (ESP)

(not before 04:00 hours)

Novak Djokovic (SRB/7)-Jaime Faria (POR/Q)

(not before 9:00 am)

Coco Gauff (USA/3)-Jodie Burrage (GBR)

Pedro Martínez (ESP)-Alexander Zverev (ALE/2)

MARGARET COURT ARENA (01:30 hours)

Elise Mertens (BEL)-Jessica Pegula (USA/7)

(not before 03:00 hours)

Yoshihito Nishioka (JAP)-Carlos Alcaraz (ESP/3)

(not before 9:00 am)

Casper Ruud (NOR/6)-Jakub Mensik (CHE)

Paula Badosa (ESP/11)-Talia Gibson (AUS/WC)