Novak Djokovic: "Carlos Alcaraz is one of the leaders of our sport today and he is going to carry this game in the years to come"

Novak Djokovic showered high praise on Carlos Alcaraz after their exhibition match at the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup in Riyadh on Wednesday, December 27.

With the 2024 season just around the corner, the top two ranked ATP players squared off in the 40,000-capacity Kingdom Arena, with several Saudi royals present. Carlos Alcaraz secured victory over Novak Djokovic with scores 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to clinch the trophy.

In the post-match press conference, Djokovic was asked when about the first time he saw young Carlos Alcaraz playing tennis. Djokovic stated that he had seen Alcaraz on the internet as far back as when he was 12 years old.

Djokovic also added that what the Spaniard has achieved at such a young age is impressive and attested to Alcaraz's good character, his nice family and team.

“I have seen videos of him on the internet. I've seen him when he was 12 years old, probably winning tournaments. It's impressive for what he has achieved at such a young age. He's a very humble, very nice guy. His family, his father, are a very nice family with great values, as well as his team," Djokovic said

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal have been the most dominant tennis stars over the past two decades. Roger Federer retired in 2022, and Djokovic and Nadal, who are 36 and 37 respectively, are approaching the end of their careers.

During the interview, Djokovic further stated that the sport is in good hands due to the rise of Alcaraz in the sport and hopes his dominance continues for the next 10-15 years.

“"It's fantastic to have him in our sport. He's one of the leaders of our sport today, and definitely, he is going to carry this game in the future years to come. In the next 10 to 15 years, we're going to see a lot of him, so tennis is in good hands," Djokovic said

A brief look at Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic's 2023 season

Nitto ATP Finals - Day Seven

Novak Djokovic is currently the ATP World No. 1, and behind him at the No. 2 spot is 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz. They both had an amazing 2023 season.

Novak Djokovic won 7 trophies during the season, including the Australian Open, US Open, French Open, Masters titles in Paris and Cincinnati, Adelaide 1 International, and the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

On the other hand, Carlos Alcaraz won six titles, including his second Grand Slam at Wimbledon, the Madrid Masters, Indian Wells Open, London/Queen's Club Championship, Barcelona Open, and the Argentina Open.

The duo has faced off five times, of which four matches were played in 2023. Djokovic currently leads their head-to-head 3-2.