Alcaraz has sights set on Djokovic and primary spot at Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz is raring to go on the Australian Open the place he’ll search to dethrone holder Novak Djokovic and safe a 3rd Grand Slam triumph that may see him reclaim the world primary spot.

The 20-year-old Spaniard will hope to bury reminiscences of an injury-plagued begin to final 12 months when he missed the Australian Open, which Djokovic received to climb again to the rankings summit.

The bull-like Alcaraz, who has taken the tennis world by storm since turning into the youngest males’s world primary after his US Open triumph in 2022, hit again by capturing his second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon following an epic five-set ultimate victory over Djokovic.

However, after profitable the 2023 US Open in September, the 36-year-old Serb beat his younger rival on the ATP Finals and claimed a record-extending eighth year-end primary spot.

Their rivalry might be set for one more epic showdown and as soon as once more the world primary spot is inside attain for Alcaraz.

Djokovic has a 2,200-point benefit over Alcaraz, who has no factors to defend in Australia after skipping the event in 2023 with a leg damage.

Rankings are primarily based on factors claimed at every event, which expire yearly. To keep the factors received at an occasion a participant should at the very least match their outcome from the earlier 12 months.

That implies that Alcaraz would declare 2,000 factors with the title in Australia and reclaim prime spot whatever the Serbian’s outcome.

He would additionally transfer above Djokovic if he reaches the quarter-finals, the semis or the ultimate and the Serb fails to advance together with him.

While Alcaraz might not want any further motivation, a press release win would cement his standing within the sport and depart little doubt that he’s main a altering of the guard in males’s tennis.

“Learning from (Djokovic) is amazing. It’s incredible to share the court with him,” Alcaraz mentioned after beating Djokovic in an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia in late December.

“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.”