Australian Open 2025: ‘Reminds me of Nadal’ – Novak Djokovic ready for Carlos Alcaraz and a rumble in the jungle

Carlos Alcaraz asks, ‘What weakness Novak has?’ He answers the question himself. ‘Just a few. Or none.’

Serbia's Novak Djokovic hits a return against Czech Republic's Jiri Lehecka during the fourth round of the Australian Open Picture: AFP

Absolute delirium. Lifelong fulfilment. Everlasting bliss. Complete devastation. A grown man sobbing uncontrollably. Novak Djokovic versus Carlos Alcaraz for the gold medal at the Paris Olympics was the match of the year. So physically and emotionally draining, they were shells of themselves until now.

Their Australian Open rumble in the concrete jungle on Tuesday couldn’t be more dramatic and theatrical if you started the opening scene with Bernardo hearing Hamlet’s ghost and asking, “Who’s there?” It couldn’t have more pizzazz if Don King was pulling the strings. There’s the hard-nosed 37-year-old Serbian heavyweight champ against the flamboyant Spanish 21-year-old who has brazenly declared he wants to eventually overtake Djokovic as the greatest of all time. There’s not enough popcorn in this world.

Novak Djokovic plays a backhand against the Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka in his climb to the Australian Open quarter-finals. Picture: Getty Images

Oh, Paris. Djokovic gave every sinew, fibre, cartilage, blood vessel, ligament, lymph, bone, muscle and tendon in his head, hair, neck, torso, arms, hands, legs, feet and teeth to beat Alcaraz 7-6 (7/3) 7-6 (7/2) at Roland Garros. It’s a wonder he didn’t mirror Pheidippedis and drop dead on the spot.

His post-match stoke was greater than his reaction to any other major triumph. Wrapped in the Serbian flag, shaking like a leaf, trembling with relief, he was an emotional wreck after succeeding in his last desperate attempt to become Olympic champion. He’d done it in the nick of time, nearly with his last breath against his younger foe. Hence the delirium, fulfilment and bliss.

Alcaraz was truly inconsolable. Both were spent. Shot ducks for most of the rest of the year. A skeletal version of Djokovic went to the US Open and lost to Australia’s own Alexei Popyrin. Who cared! He was Olympic champ! Check out the photos of Alcaraz on the podium in Paris. He was miserable. He travelled to New York City without his normal ebullience of spirit and went down the gurgler to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.

Djokovic beats Alcaraz in their men's singles final at the Roland-Garros Stadium to win gold at the Paris Olympics Picture: AFP

Muhammad Ali was considered long in the tooth when he took George Foreman in the real Rumble in the Jungle. A 32-year-old was raising his dukes against a 25-year-old. Djokovic is on even older legs than Ali, against even younger legs than Foreman’s.

He needs to turn it into a scrap, he needs a volatile atmosphere, he needs fight night. He must absorb the pounding blows and raw power from Alcaraz, whose forehand is the biggest of all, and then Djokovic must do what he did in Paris. Pounce when the pressure and opportunities reach their premium. He won gold by claiming two or three crucial moments. That was all it came down to. “Finally,” he gasped. “I did it.”

The atmosphere for his next rumble with Alcaraz is bristling with electricity and it’s not even the day of the match. If only Shakespeare could file the match report.

“I’m expecting a big battle,” Djokovic says. “It’s the case in most of our matches. Maybe a couple times it was quite one-sided. Wimbledon finals last year, he was the dominant force on the court. I had a really good match against him in the World Tour Finals in 2023. Other than that, we’ve had some long battles, long exchanges matches. It reminds me of my match-ups versus (Rafael) Nadal in terms of the intensity and the energy on the court.”

Djokovic got down and dirty in umpteen ding-dong, drag-’em-out-by-thy-ankles battles with Nadal, and Alcaraz is another Nadal, a Nadal 2.0, with all that pop and pep in his step, and a mind and body 16 years fresher than the old warhorse’s.

“A very dynamic, explosive player,” Djokovic grins. “Incredibly talented. A charismatic player. Great to watch. Not that great to play against.

“I look forward to it. I think when the draw was out, a lot of people were looking forward to the potential matchup in the quarterfinals, Alcaraz versus me. So, here we are. I think we’re both hitting the ball pretty well. I like the way I’m playing and the way I’m feeling. I’m excited about the challenge.”

 

Djokovic’s squabble with Channel 9 is neither here nor there. Asked if he believes Serbian people have been disrespected by the broadcaster, he says, “Right.” Asked if it’s fuelling his fire for an 11th Open title, he deadpans: “No. Not particularly. I’m very determined already.”

Alcaraz isn’t yet the king, but he’s living like one, apparently getting a helicopter ride 120km to the Cathedral Lodge and Golf Club for 18 holes. He hasn’t played Djokovic since the Serb broke his heart and spirit in Paris. He was the more dangerous player that baking hot day, seemingly holding the upper hand throughout, throwing haymakers left, right and centre, but he just couldn’t put Djokovic away.

“Well, this is not the right player to play in a quarterfinal,” Alcaraz says. “If I think about everything he has done in tennis, I couldn’t play. I mean, 24 grand slams. The most weeks at No.1. Everything. He’s almost broken every record in tennis. I’m trying not to think about that when I’m in the match. I’m just trying to think that I’m able to beat him.

“I know my weapons, I know that I’m able to play good tennis against him. I’m able to beat him. That’s all I’m thinking when I’m facing him.”

Youth versus experience. Foreman versus Ali. Alcaraz versus Djokovic. Who’s there? “He’s the player who has the most quarterfinals in grand slams in history, if I’m not wrong,” says Alcaraz, who isn’t wrong.

“Obviously he has experience but when we are seeing him playing, he seems like he’s young again. It’s unbelievable. He’s in really good shape. Having experience, getting more experience in this situation, it’s important. But I don’t think it’s going to be an advantage for him. I’m ready. I know what I have to do.”

Alcaraz hits up at practice a day out from his Australian Open quarter-final clash with Djokovic Pictured: Getty Images

Alcaraz is in a hurry to do everything Djokovic has already done. Winning 24 majors will take a decade. Joining Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi, Fred Perry and Don Budge as the only men’s holders of a career grand slam could be ticked off by the end of the week.

“What I’ve learned in previous grand slams is going day by day,” he says. “Grand slams can be so long if you’re thinking about what’s next or thinking about the future.

“I just want to think about the present, day-by-day, trying to feel as good as I can every day. Respecting every round and every player. That’s it. I think that helps a lot to show your best tennis in every match. Just thinking about the present and giving the hundred per cent of yourself.”

Djokovic leads their head-to-head, 4-3. He’s 2-0 on the sort of hardcourt to be dished up in the jungle of Rod Laver Arena. Alcaraz is still young enough to whip off his shirt at training on Monday. He doesn’t have a dad bod. Then again, despite raising children, neither does Djokovic.

“Depending on the surface that I’m playing, I change my game a little bit. But I think everybody has their weakness and it doesn’t matter if we’re playing in one surface or other, we are going to still have the same weaknesses,” Alcaraz says.

“I know what I have to do on clay, on hard court, on grass. This is going to be the first time playing against him in a grand slam on hard court. I’m excited. “What weakness Novak has? Just a few. Or none.”