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Carlos Alcaraz continues to look effortless at the Australian Open, reaching the quarter-final without losing a set.
The Spaniard is showcasing his improved serve in Melbourne, and Novak Djokovic had to say something about it.
The 22-year-old changed his service motion a lot in the off-season, seeking more efficient initial shot that should give me more free points. His new motion sparked comparisons with Novak Djokovic’s famously efficient delivery.
The similarity did not go unnoticed by the Serb and his analytic eye. Novak turned the observation into a light-hearted joke that quickly made the rounds. Alcaraz, unsurprisingly, embraced the moment with a smile.
World no. 1 admitted he had been made aware of Djokovic’s playful claim and revealed that the exchange continued privately. It added another layer to their growing respect and off-court rapport.
For Carlos, the resemblance with Novak’s serve was never intention. It was simply a part of the process and another step in his constant pursuit of improvement and new weapons in his arsenal.
As the Spaniard joked, he has the contract that the Serb sent him, although he has yet to sign it. Jokes aside, Alcaraz’s serve has been noticeably calmer in Melbourne, with the world’s best player getting broken five times from 14 chances offered to his first four rivals.
The six-time Major winner liked how he served against Tommy Paul, and the results suggest the changes are working exactly as planned, with or without giving Novak his share of that benefit.
As Alcaraz prepares for the quarter-final clash with Alex de Minaur, he remains focused and leaves jokes and contracts aside, with his tennis doing all the talking.
“Yeah, I heard Novak’s comments. I have got the contract right there, but I have not signed it yet. And honestly, I did not even realize it was so similar to Novak’s serve.
So, one day I woke up, grabbed my phone, and there was a message from Djokovic: ‘You have to pay me for the serve before the final,’” Carlos Alcaraz said.
