"Boris Becker told me Novak Djokovic accepted the superiority of Carlos Alcaraz; he never did with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer" - Swiss' ex-coach

Roger Federer's former coach Ivan Ljubicic has shed light on Boris Becker's insights about how Novak Djokovic perceives his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz. Ljubicic also explained how the Serb's mindset differs from his approach to his rivalries with Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz and Djokovic's recent title clash at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships has ignited a debate about the potential dawn of a new era in men's tennis. This is due to Alcaraz's commanding 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) win over the 24-time Grand Slam champion, which marked a sharp departure from their tense five-set battle in last year's final.

The Serb's loss also validated Roger Federer's ex-coach Ivan Ljubicic's prediction about the 21-year-old being the favorite for the title. Prior to the grasscourt Major, the Croation had discounted the Serb's chances in favor of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner due to the 37-year-old's recent knee surgery.

In a recent interview with Sportklub, Ljubicic disclosed that Boris Becker believes that the 24-time Grand Slam champion has accepted Carlos Alcaraz's "superiority," something he never did with his arch-rivals Federer and Nadal. Becker's insight carries weight, given that the German worked closely with Djokovic as his coach for three years.

"Boris Becker recently told me that it seems to him that Djokovic practically accepted the superiority of Alcaraz, which he never did with Nadal and Federer," he said.

Ljubicic also expressed his belief that a generational shift in men's tennis is imminent.

"We are not far from a complete change of generations. That's life," he added.

Novak Djokovic: "Carlos Alcaraz's results make it deserved to talk about a generational change"

Carlos Alcaraz defeated the Serb in the Wimbledon 2024 final (Source: Getty)

Amid the debate about the 'changing of guard' in men's tennis, Novak Djokovic has shared his own perspective on the matter. Speaking to the Serbian media after the Wimbledon final, the World No. 2 asserted that while Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have made the case for the discussion about a "generational change," they need to prove themselves on a consistent basis to make it stick.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion also questioned the legitimacy of the claims about the duo ushering in a new era of men's tennis, emphasizing that the people behind such assertions have never come close to winning a Grand Slam title.

"Carlos' results make it deserved to talk about a generational change on his part and Sinner is doing very well this year, but these results must be endorsed over time. There are people who have not even been close to winning Grand Slam titles and make these assertions. In short, words are carried away by the wind," he said.

Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner are set to be back in action at the 2024 Paris Olympics, commencing on July 26.