Novak Djokovic makes his feelings known about Rafael Nadal-like Carlos Alcaraz & potential Australian Open QF showdown

Novak Djokovic shared his thoughts on the possibility of facing Carlos Alcaraz at the 2025 Australian Open. Both players have already begun their campaigns in Melbourne, where the tournament started on January 12.

Djokovic faced a tough challenge in his opening-round match against Indian-American rising star Nishesh Basavareddy. The Serb was caught off guard early, losing the first set and struggling to find his rhythm. However, he regrouped to win the next three sets, eventually sealing a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory.

Meanwhile,Alcaraz wasted no time making a statement, breezing past Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 7-5, 6-1. The Spaniard was in complete control for most of the match, dominating the opening and closing sets.

Djokovic sat down for a press conference after his win over Basavareddy and mentioned that Alcaraz, whom he could potentially face in the quarterfinals, reminds him of Rafael Nadal. He added that the young Spaniard could be a very dangerous foe to face and predicted big things for him in the future.

"He brings so much energy and intensity on the court. From that perspective, reminds me a lot of Rafa [Nadal]. Just such a complete player. He can hurt you from anywhere on any court on any surface," the Serb said.

"His versatility is amazing. That he was able at such a young age to reach that level of tennis and I think mental maturity on the court, which is impressive. Makes him one of the best players in the world the last three, four years, without a doubt," he added.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion continued:

"He's winning slams every year now consecutively for few years in a row. I'm sure that he's not going to stop here. We're going to see Carlos [Alcaraz] many years to follow."

Novak Djokovic will face Jaime Faria while Carlos Alcaraz will take on Yoshihito Nishioka in Australian Open 2R

Novak Djokovic pictured at the 2025 Australian Open | Image Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are set to begin their campaigns in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday, January 15. The former is eyeing a record 25th Grand Slam title, while the latter is aiming for a Career Grand Slam, which would mean winning each of the four Majors during his career.

Djokovic's next opponent is Jaime Faria, who previously defeated Pavel Kotov, while Alcaraz will face Yoshihito Nishioka, who got the better of Aziz Dougaz.

Djokovic and Faria have never met before, while this will be the second meeting between Alcaraz and Nishioka.