Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz compete fiercely in tennis, yet they share a warm friendship off the court. Tennis thrives on rivalries, and even though the Big Three era is fading with Roger Federer‘s retirement in 2022, these dynamics persist. Rafael Nadal has faced health issues recently, while Djokovic snagged three major titles last year and achieved his dream by winning Olympic gold in Paris.
Despite losing his main competitors, Djokovic still managed to defeat an ailing Nadal at Roland Garros. Without Federer and Nadal around—whom he faced 110 times combined—Djokovic now finds new challenges on the ATP Tour. Interestingly, these new rivals are much younger: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have emerged as formidable opponents.
Alcaraz and Sinner also have their own rivalry but first had to face Djokovic, who remained a dominant force in 2023. Unlike with Federer and Nadal, Djokovic’s relationship with these young players is different; he often praises Alcaraz warmly.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇷🇸 Novak Djokovic | 37 | 8,360 | 18 - 6 |
Friendly Rivalry:
Their mutual respect shines during finals when they exchange kind words. “It’s a beautiful message for tennis,” Djokovic said about their off-court camaraderie. Fans might think this friendly rivalry adds an exciting twist to the sport.
At the 2024 Shanghai Masters, both players competed fiercely; Alcaraz defeated Juncheng Shang and Yibing Wu while Djokovic won against Alex Michelsen after a slow start since 2019. They met afterward in the player area where Djokovic affectionately called Alcaraz “Titanico,” admiring his strength on court.
Their brief chat ended with Djokovic jokingly saying: “You’re too much on the court; I’m outside of it.” If both continue winning in Shanghai, they could clash again in the final of this ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
What do you think about their friendship?
