With the conquest of the Open of Australia, Novak Djokovic returned to the leadership of the ATP ranking, dethroning Carlos Alcaraz who missed the tournament due to injury. Asked about how the duel with the young Spanish tennis player will be in 2023, the Serb made a point of stressing that his «main rival» remains Rafael Nadal.
«Alcaraz was number 1, won a Grand Slam and will probably be the next great figure in our sport. But I feel that the rivalry with Nadal is difficult to eliminate. Maybe he was the biggest rival of my career, along with Roger Federer. Both formed me as a tennis player because they beat me at the beginning of my career and I had to learn how to beat them», said Djokovic in an initiative with the Press in Belgrade.
Djoko did not hide his desire to face Nadal in the Roland Garros final: “When he is in shape, he is top. He and I, the ‘old men’, make sure the young don’t win the big tournaments.»
Words that deserved a reaction from Alcaraz. «It is not a pressure factor to be fighting with Djokovic for the leadership of the ranking», said the Spaniard, before assuring: «My objectives remain the same: to win more titles and to be number one again.»
On his return to the circuit, Alcaraz won the tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is now in Brazil to discuss the Open in Rio de Janeiro, where he has already secured qualification for the round of 16 with a 6-4 double victory over the tennis player from ‘house’ Mateus Alves. The Italian Fabio Fognini follows.
