Djokovic jokes about Alcaraz’s new serve during Australian Open
Novak Djokovic playfully addressed Carlos Alcaraz’s newly modified serve after their respective opening matches at the Australian Open. Djokovic noted he had already communicated with Alcaraz regarding the striking resemblance of the technique, reports BritPanorama.
“As soon as I saw it, I sent him a message. I said, we have to speak about the copyrights,” Djokovic said with a grin following his first-round victory on Monday.
He expanded on the jest, stating, “When I saw him here, I told him we have to talk about percentage of his winnings. Every ace I expect a tribute to me.”
Alcaraz, aware of the scrutiny on his serve, anticipated the comparisons and responded, “You probably meant to say it’s very similar to Djokovic’s, right? I knew it,” he said, laughing.
The 22-year-old insisted that he had not intentionally imitated Djokovic, however, he acknowledged the superficial similarities. “I just slightly changed the motion, and I feel more comfortable this way. It’s more fluid, more relaxed, and perfectly timed. It helps me serve much better,” he elaborated. “I didn’t think about copying Djokovic’s serve. But of course, I can see the similarities.”
Both players dispatched their opening opponents with relative ease. Djokovic showcased his prowess against Pedro Martinez, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena. Notably, he secured an impressive 93 percent of his first-serve points without facing a single break point throughout the match.
“Performance-wise, the feeling on the court, it was great. I couldn’t ask for more,” Djokovic stated post-match.
Alcaraz was equally dominant, defeating home player Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-2 on Sunday. His altered serving motion has already generated buzz, with clips circulating widely on social media.
The tournament draw sets up a potential clash between the two in the final, although both players must first navigate their forthcoming matches.
Looking ahead, Djokovic will face Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli in round two, while Alcaraz takes on Yannick Hanfmann. Djokovic is in pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title, having reached the semi-finals of all four majors last year. Victory for Alcaraz in Melbourne would grant him a Career Slam at just 22 years old, a feat Djokovic accomplished a decade ago.
If both players are to navigate their respective paths successfully, it will be interesting to see if Djokovic’s “copyright agreement” holds up under the spotlight of the final.
