“It’s horrible”: French tennis player reveals difference between facing Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz

French tennis star Alexandre Muller has recently opened up the difference between former world number one Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Spain’s young sensation Carlos Alcaraz. Both players are regarded as amongst the best in men’s tennis along with Italy’s Jannik Sinner.

Muller has been recently quoted in a French publication We Love Tennis where he highlighted the difference between facing the two players. The 27-year-old stated that it was relatively easier to face someone like Alcaraz but a lot tougher to face Djokovic who does not let you ‘breath’ on the court.

“Facing Novak, the truth is that I have never had this feeling on a tennis court since,” he said. “It was totally suffocating. The guy leaves you nothing, not a crumb, it’s horrible. I played Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon, it was almost relaxed, Carlos lets you breathe a little, Novak, he suffocates you constantly.”

Djokovic is regarded as the greatest player in the history of men’s tennis in the singles category, having won as many as 24 Grand Slam titles. The Belgrade-born star has not had a great season, as it is the first time in seven years that he failed to win a single Grand Slam in a season. However, he will still look back at the 2024 season fondly, as it is this year when he finally managed to complete his trophy cabinet. Djokovic finally won the Olympic gold medal for his country after beating Alcaraz in the final in Paris with a score of 7-6, 7-6.

On the other hand, the young Spaniard had an impressive season, to say the least. Other than losing in the final of the singles category at the Paris Olympics, Alcaraz went on to win two out of four Grand Slams. He won the French Open for the first time in his career after beating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the final in a five-set thriller with a score of 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1, 6–2. He then went on to win the Wimbledon title after beating Djokovic in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-2, 7-6.