Even after being rivals, the equation between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz is quite different. They might stand against each other on the tennis court, but at the same time, both of them have constantly supported each other. On the court, both of them aim for victory, but at the same time, they know their stand in the tennis world. The 36-year-old tennis pro recently showered the 2023 Wimbledon victor with praise.
Even though the 20-year-old Spaniard faced defeat against the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the semi-final round of the ATP finals, the wins and losses against each other have not affected their thoughts about each other. But along with that, he also gave a future of tennis verdict with a clear answer.
Novak Djokovic praises Carlos Alcaraz
Every tennis fan has witnessed the fierce competition between Djokovic and Alcaraz. It all started when the 20-year-old defeated Djokovic to claim the Wimbledon title this year. But now, the 36-year-old Serbian tennis player, in a recent interview, encouraged and praised the two-time Grand Slam champion and talked about how it was necessary for the future of this sport.
He said, “CARLOS is a spectacular player! He is also a good person… has good values… At 20 y, he has lots of time ahead of him. The FUTURE of tennis is ALCARAZ, @holgerrune2003 and @janniksin but especially Alcaraz… Mentally.”
🎤🇪🇸@DjokerNole praising @carlosalcaraz today 😍
"CARLOS is a spectacular player! He is also a good person… has good values… At 20 y, he has lots of time ahead of him.
The FUTURE of tennis is ALCARAZ, @holgerrune2003 and @janniksin but especially Alcaraz… Mentally👌 pic.twitter.com/DI1rZqsPje
— TRAVEL&Sp🎾rts (@travel__Sports) November 22, 2023
Apart from praising the 20-year-old tennis star as a player, he also highlighted how Alcaraz still has a lot of time on his hands to do much better as he is quite young. Apart from that, Djokovic also named three tennis players who he believes are the strong future of the sport. It was none other than Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, and Alcaraz.
The world number one has faced all three of them, and although he has defeated them on the tennis court, Djokovic has embraced the reality of what the three rising tennis sensations bring to the table. However, this is not the first time the world number one has praised the young Spaniard. The world number 2 recalled Djokovic’s crazy praise while addressing his words with disbelief.
When Djokovic’s words made Alcaraz speechless
Earlier this year, in July, in a candid interview, the 24-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged Alcaraz’s exceptional talent and adaptability. Djokovic mentioned, “Crazy! Novak has played epic matches and epic finals against Rafa, Roger, and the legends from our sport. He told us that he has not played against a player like me, something that is difficult to realize.”
Just a few days after receiving this acknowledgment, the 20-year-old admitted in an interview with Tennis Channel International that he couldn’t believe what his 2023 Wimbledon rival said. Along with that, the second-seeded tennis player also added that Djokovic is someone who has been part of epic encounters, and hearing praise from him is just unbelievable.
However, what do you think about Djokovic’s recent prediction regarding Alcaraz? Do let us know in the comment section below.
