Carlos Alcaraz has looked ahead to a potential blockbuster showdown with Novak Djokovic at the Qatar Open and reflected on the impact of the Serbian’s presence in the draw.
As the top seed at the newly upgraded ATP 500 event in Doha, Alcaraz is taking advantage of the absence of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is unable to play due to a three-month doping ban. Alcaraz and Djokovic, seeded No. 3, are placed on the same side of the draw, meaning they could meet in the semi-finals.
The two stars recently faced off at the Australian Open, where Djokovic triumphed in a thrilling four-set semi-final, marking the latest chapter in their compelling rivalry. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 5-3.
Alcaraz is making his debut at the Qatar Open, while Djokovic is a two-time champion, having won the tournament in 2016 and 2017 when it was an ATP 250 event.
In an interview with AS, Alcaraz was asked how he would approach a potential rematch with Djokovic in Doha. “This tournament is very tough; there are many good players here, which speaks to the quality of the event,” he said (translated from Spanish). “In the end, you have to face the best if you want to be among them, so we’ll take it round by round and give our best until the semi-finals.”
He also mentioned Djokovic’s injury concerns, adding, “He also has to see how he is after the injury, though he’s been training very well. We’ll see how the tournament goes.”
Discussing the difference between Grand Slams and ATP 500 events, Alcaraz explained, “A Grand Slam is different from a 500 or other tournaments, but the approach is similar—perhaps with a few small adjustments for things that didn’t go our way. I think the level I played at the Australian Open was good, so the most important thing is to maintain that.”
When asked if his mentality changes when competing against top players like Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev at an ATP 500 event compared to a Grand Slam, Alcaraz responded, “Not at all. It’s a similar tournament; there are great players everywhere. In Rotterdam, it was also a strong 500.”
He added, “The fact that these names are in the draw doesn’t change anything for me. If I face them in the semi-finals or finals, so be it. In the meantime, we approach the tournament the same way—focusing on ourselves and trying to improve what we need to.”
Alcaraz will face Marin Cilic in his Qatar Open debut, while Djokovic will take on Matteo Berrettini in his opening match.
