Novak Djokovic makes feelings clear on criticism Carlos Alcaraz has faced
Novak Djokovic has asserted that he does not understand the criticism Carlos Alcaraz has faced this year as he pointed out what his young rival has already accomplished.
Alcaraz has faced some harsh scrutiny this season, particularly during a mixed run of results prior to the clay-court season.
The world No 3 has amassed a strong 24-5 (82.8%) record across the seven tournaments he has played so far in 2025.
The 21-year-old has won titles in Rotterdam and Monte Carlo and was a runner-up at the Barcelona Open.
Alcaraz was also a semi-finalist in Indian Wells and a quarter-finalist at both the Australian Open and the Qatar Open, while he lost his opening match at the Miami Open.
The Spanish star has won 18 titles, including four Grand Slams and six Masters 1000 events, in his outstanding career to date.
Ahead of the 2025 Madrid Open, Djokovic took issue with the criticism Alcaraz has received in his home country.
“No, I don’t understand it,” the Serbian told Eurosport Spain. “But the atmosphere and tradition of tennis in this country is very high.
“The expectation is enormous after Nadal, [Carlos] Moya, [Juan Carlos] Ferrero… they’ve all been world No 1.
“But, listen. He’s 21 years old, he’s won four Grand Slams and many tournaments. What more do you want? You want more, but what he’s done in this period is incredible.”
Djokovic holds a 5-3 record against Alcaraz in what is a fascinating inter-generational rivalry.
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The Serbian won the pair’s most recent encounter in four sets in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January.
The duo are both in the bottom half of the Madrid Masters draw and could face off in the semi-finals.
Alcaraz, the No 2 seed, will play either Zizou Bergs or Yoshihito Nishioka in his first match in Madrid. Djokovic, who is seeded fourth, will take on Matteo Arnaldi or Borna Coric.
In an interview with GQ earlier this year, Djokovic addressed Alcaraz’s achievements and the ambitious statements he has made.
“Carlos has done something no one has done in history for such a young age. So the odds are with him. He is going to complete his [career] Slam very soon,” the 24-time major winner said.
“He’s even said himself, he wants to make history. He wants to be ‘the best in history.’ I respect that kind of mentality of, ‘Hey, I think I got the goods.’ But maybe it’s a little bit early for him to think about history.”
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