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Carlos Alcaraz triumphing over Novak Djokovic at the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup in Saudi Arabia has sparked humorous reactions from tennis fans.
Djokovic and Alcaraz reignited their enthralling rivalry in a blockbuster exhibition match in Riyadh on Wednesday, December 27. Despite the 24-time Grand Slam champion clinching the first set, the Spaniard displayed his resilience and battled back to claim a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
Several fans shared hilarious takes regarding Djokovic's loss, with one fan jokingly suggesting the World No. 1 was "finished" by the sport's new "overlord," Alcaraz.
"I’ve seen enough, Nole is finished guys. Everyone welcome the new overlord Alcaraz," one fan posted.
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"Back to back losses to Sinner and Alcaraz in the two biggest events of the year, my idol is finished </3," another fan joked.
Meanwhile, another fan deemed the exhibition event a "win-win" as the Serb gained vital practice ahead of the 2024 season, while Alcaraz received a confidence boost after his straight-sets loss to the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the ATP Finals.
"Win-win tbh. Extra practice for Novak, slight confidence boost for Alcaraz. After the ATP Finals match, seeing yourself be competitive against Novak despite the low stakes is probably a slight boost for morale," the fan commented.
Here are a few more reactions from fans:
"It's incredible to share the court with Novak Djokovic, learning from him is amazing" - Carlos Alcaraz
Following his win at the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup, Carlos Alcaraz lavished praise on Novak Djokovic and expressed his eagerness for their rivalry to continue in the future.
"Hopefully this will keep going. As I said many many times, and he has said it himself, he seems like he is 20," he said in his on-court interview.
"So, we are going to share the court more than once. It’s amazing and I would like to congratulate him and thank him for playing this match with me. I had a good time here," the Spaniard added.
He also conveyed his delight at the opportunity to share the court with the 24-time Grand Slam champion, divulging that it had been a childhood dream to experience such moments.
"I mean, it's incredible to share the court with him, you know at this tournament, in the official events, everywhere. Learning from him is amazing," he said.
"As you said, I grew up watching him winning all the big tournaments and you know, you always dream about this moment, playing against him face-to-face and I’m really really happy to be able to do that," he added.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have locked horns in five tour-level encounters, with the Serb enjoying a narrow 3-2 lead in their head-to-head record.
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