"Carlos Alcaraz is going to lead the next 10 or 15 years" - Novak Djokovic on "great new rivalry" with Spaniard

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic recently acknowledged that he has a brewing rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic praised Alcaraz and expressed his belief that the 20-year-old would be a leading player in the coming years.

The duo are set to clash at the 2023 Tennis Cup in Riyadh. The exhibition match is scheduled to take place on December 27. Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka locked horns on the women's side a day ago, with the Belarusian coming out on top.

Djokovic spoke highly of Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the event. After his longstanding rivalry with two tennis greats - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal - the 24-time Grand Slam champion hailed a "great new rivalry" against the World No. 2.

"It's good that there's a great new rivalry in tennis. He's going to lead for the next 10 or 15 years," Djokovic told the media (via Marca).

With Federer's retirement in 2022 and Nadal's absence in the 2023 season due to hip surgery, the 36-year-old said their generation was "coming to an end".

"Rafa didn't play in 2023, Federer retired... Our generation is coming to an end, but the emergence of Alcaraz is great," he said.

Looking back at Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz's clashes in the 2023 season

Novak Djokovic (left) and Carlos Alcaraz(right) at the 2023 ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz shared an exciting rivalry in the 2023 season. They clashed four times on-court, with the World No. 1 emerging victorious thrice.

Their first meeting of the year came at the semifinals of the French Open. Djokovic won 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 to reach the final, where he claimed a record 23rd Grand Slam title.

The duo next met in the Wimbledon final. Novak Djokovic was eyeing his eighth Wimbledon title, but Alcaraz clinched an epic battle 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 to win his second Major.

The third encounter between the two was in the final of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, with Djokovic triumphing 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4). Their fourth meeting of the year came in the semifinals of the ATP Finals where the Serb won 6-3, 6-2.

The overall head-to-head between the two players stands at 3-2 in Djokovic's favor. They will meet for the final time this season in the exhibition match at the 2023 Tennis Cup in Riyadh on Wednesday, December 27.