MELBOURNE, Australia — It is time for the eighth installment of the riveting, intergenerational rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. This one, although, would be the first on the Australian Open — and the primary within the quarterfinals of a match; every of the others got here in both a semifinal or remaining.
“Nicely, this isn’t the correct participant to play in a quarterfinal, I assume,” a grinning Alcaraz mentioned, looking forward to Tuesday’s encounter. “However dealing with Novak, for me, it isn’t going to vary something if I am enjoying him [in a] quarterfinal or semifinal. Most likely change a little bit bit if it’s a remaining, clearly. Being in a quarterfinal, I’ll strategy the match the identical as I did within the earlier matches towards him, and let’s examine.”
Alcaraz reached his tenth profession Grand Slam quarterfinal, tied for probably the most by a person earlier than his twenty second birthday, by advancing when Fifteenth-seeded Jack Draper stopped enjoying due to a hip harm after dropping the primary two units Sunday afternoon.
Djokovic, who’s being coached in Melbourne by previous rival Andy Murray, did his half at night time in Rod Laver Area, needing to work a little bit longer however getting by way of simply the identical with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over No. 24 Jiri Lehecka.
Djokovic smacked a ball off a wall within the third set, drawing boos and whistles from some spectators. After they made extra noise moments later, chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani admonished the oldsters within the stands to be extra well mannered towards the gamers.
In any other case, although, Djokovic had loads of help, from the Serbian flags within the stands to the chants of his nickname, “Nole,” that reverberated round the principle stadium.
Afterward, Djokovic distributed with the customary on-court interview, as an alternative holding the microphone himself and telling the group: “Thanks very a lot for being right here tonight. I recognize your presence and the help. I am going to see you subsequent spherical. Thanks very a lot.” Then he walked off.
Addressing reporters later within the media room, Djokovic mentioned he needs an apology from the broadcaster of the match within the host nation, Channel 9, and its worker, Tony Jones. Jones referred to as Djokovic overrated and a has-been throughout an on-air look at Melbourne Park the place a crowd of the participant’s supporters have been chanting.
Djokovic mentioned that Jones “made a mockery of Serbian followers and made insulting and offensive feedback towards me.”
There’s lots at stake at this match for each No. 3 seed Alcaraz, who’s 21, and No. 7 Djokovic, who’s 37.
Alcaraz seeks to grow to be the youngest man to finish a profession Grand Slam with no less than one trophy from all 4 of probably the most prestigious occasions in tennis. His 4 up to now got here elsewhere: two at Wimbledon by advantage of wins over Djokovic within the 2023 and 2024 finals, and one apiece on the US Open in 2022 and the French Open final yr.
Djokovic, in the meantime, is making an attempt to say an eleventh title in Melbourne to grow to be the primary participant in tennis historical past with 25 main singles championships. He leads the general head-to-head towards Alcaraz 4-3, together with a victory within the remaining on the Paris Olympics final August to say a gold medal for Serbia.
On the majors, although, Alcaraz leads 2-1.
“If I take into consideration every thing he has completed in tennis, I could not play. I imply, 24 Grand Slams, probably the most weeks at No. 1 — every thing. He virtually broke each document in tennis. I am making an attempt not to consider that once I’m within the match. I am simply making an attempt … to beat him,” Alcaraz mentioned. “I do know my weapons. I do know that [if] I will play good tennis towards him, I will beat him.”
On Sunday, Alcaraz was forward 7-5, 6-1 when Draper determined he could not proceed. He had been coping with bodily points after successful every of his first three matches at Melbourne Park in 5 units.
“It is not the way in which I wish to win a match, to get by way of to the following spherical,” Alcaraz mentioned. “Joyful to play one other quarterfinal right here in Australia, however a little bit bit unhappy for Jack.”
Sunday’s match goes into the books as a victory for Alcaraz, his first towards a top-20 opponent on the Australian Open. He pulled even with Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker and Mats Wilander for the very best variety of main quarterfinal appearances earlier than 22.
Alcaraz’s finest run at Melbourne Park was attending to the quarterfinals final yr, earlier than dropping at that stage to Alexander Zverev. The opposite quarterfinal on the underside half of the boys’s bracket shall be No. 2 Zverev towards Twelfth-seeded American Tommy Paul.
Paul wanted lower than 1½ hours to complete a bodily diminished opponent, who sought assist from a coach. There was no turnaround this time for the 66th-ranked Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who had gained every of his previous two matches regardless of dropping the primary two units in each.
“What he did is unreal the previous couple matches. … To do it twice in a row is wonderful,” Paul mentioned.
However Paul gained almost twice as many factors (85-43) as his Spanish rival.
Paul’s finest exhibiting at any Grand Slam match was attending to the semifinals on the Australian Open in 2023. He’ll attempt to repeat that by getting previous Zverev, a two-time runner-up at majors who beat No. 14 Ugo Humbert 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
