Carlos Alcaraz told to be ‘careful’ about obsessing over Novak Djokovic

Shahida Jacobs 10 Oct 2023 10:54 AM

Carlos Alcaraz hugs at Wimbledon final

Carlos Alcaraz has been given some advice by tennis great Jimmy Connors following his recent comments about Novak Djokovic.

Two-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz and Djokovic have enjoyed a great rivalry this season as they have played each other four times with each coming away with two wins.

The Spaniard won their Madrid Open encounter before Djokovic stormed back in the semi-final at Roland Garros. Alcaraz then turned the tables with a stunning win in the Wimbledon final, but his great rival proved that he is still the master with victory in an incredible match in the Cincinnati Masters final.

The pair have also traded top spot in the ATP Rankings seven times this year with Djokovic currently at No 1, although Alcaraz has made it clear he wants to pip the 24-time Grand Slam winner to the year-end No 1 ranking.

In the build-up to this week’s Shanghai Masters, Alcaraz was asked about Djokovic and replied: “I think [about Djokovic] almost in every practice, I am not going to lie.

“I train with a goal. I go to the tournaments with a goal. To try to end the year as No 1. Novak Djokovic is on my mind in almost every practice. I have to practice my best. I have to go for 100 per cent in every ball to be able to catch him.

“He is 100 per cent focused. I watch his practice, his movement and the way he plays and trains and it is something I want. He puts 100 per cent in every practice and game and it is something I am trying in my game.”

Eight-time Grand Slam winner Connors, though, has urged Alcaraz not to become too obsessed with the Djokovic rivalry as it could result in him losing focus of other rivals like Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev.

“My first thought about that [Alcaraz’s quote] is even though Alcaraz beat him at Wimbledon, he’s been kind of a thorn in his side a little bit. But he’s got to be careful doing that because then you’re preparing for only one guy,” the American said on the Advantage Connors podcast.

“And I understand also that you think ‘well if I’m playing good enough to be that guy, I’ll be able to beat everybody else too’ but that’s not really true because other guys have different games, as he saw with Sinner. And the way he plays is different than the way Novak, Alcaraz or Medvedev. These guys, they’re big, they’re strong.

“Some guys take a little bit more advantage of a short ball. Other guys play six, eight or 10 feet behind the baseline and are able to hit winners from back there, like Medvedev.

“You’ve got to be prepared for everybody that you play. So it’s your game. I would go out and I’d work on my game, because I thought my games should be good enough to play anybody, not just to play one guy but to play anybody.

“It’s not just Novak. It’s Sinner and Medvedev and a little bit of everything.”