Novak Djokovicnext rival of Carlos Alcaraz In the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, he said of the Spanish player that it was “great to see him, but not so good to play against him,” adding that he was “looking forward” to the match between the two.
“I expect a big battle, as is the case in most of the matches we face. Maybe a few times it was clear for one side. In last year’s Wimbledon final he was the dominant force on the court. On the other hand, I played a very good match against him in the 2023 ATP finals,” the Serbian recalled in a press conference after defeating the Czech. Jiri Lehecka by 6-3, 6-4 and 7-6 (4).
“Besides that, we had some long matches. It reminded me of my matches with Nadal in terms of intensity and energy on court,” added the world number 7, a ten-time winner in Australia.
“He’s a very dynamic and explosive player. Incredibly talented. A charismatic player. It’s great to watch; it’s not too good to play against him,” Djokovic said, smiling, about the third seed.
“I’m looking forward to it. I think that when the draw came out many people were looking forward to our possible confrontation in the quarterfinals. So here we are,” he noted.
The last confrontation between the two took place in the final of Olympic Games in Paris, with a victory for Djokovic by 7-6 and 7-6. The overall balance in their previous matches is 4-3 for him.
For the Serbian player, they both “hit the ball in this tournament.”
“I like the way I played and the way I felt in the last two games. I’m excited about that challenge,” he highlighted. EFE
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Source: La Verdad
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