Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz to link up in off-season as Spaniard's Aus Open plans emerge
Carlos Alcaraz will face Novak Djokovic again during the off-season as he prepares to return to the Australian Open for the first time in two years.
Novak Djokovic will play a part in Carlos Alcaraz’s off-season plans as the Spaniard prepares to return to the Australian Open for the first time in two years. Alcaraz’s 2023 season came to an end when he lost to the world No 1 in the semi-final of the ATP Finals. But the pair will meet again this year in one of many exhibition matches Alcaraz is planning to play before heading Down Under.
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Alcaraz ended the year with a loss to Djokovic on Saturday night, rounding off an impressive season that saw him lift six titles, including a second Major trophy at Wimbledon and two more Masters 1000 crowns. The 20-year-old will now turn his attention to the off-season and his 2024 plans as he will return to the Australian Open after missing the 2023 edition through injury.
The world No 2 already had a couple of exhibition matches lined up but, according to Marca, he will also get two more matches in before he returns to Melbourne and bids to win his third Grand Slam title. Alcaraz is now officially out of office for the year but he will be back in action very soon, taking on Tommy Paul at the Tennis Fest in Mexico on November 29.
He will then face Djokovic in Saudi Arabia on December 27 as part of the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup exhibition. Both men have very different plans to get their respective 2024 seasons started after facing off in a light-hearted match, as the world No 1 is signed up to represent Serbia in the United Cup while Alcaraz will return home to Spain.
The two-time Grand Slam champion won’t fly to Australia until the week of January 8 and will reportedly play two more warm-up matches on January 10 and 12 before the first Major tournament of the season kicks off on the 14th.
Alcaraz hasn’t played at the Australian Open since 2022, when he was ranked down at No 31 in the world. He reached the third round but ultimately lost to No 7 seed Matteo Berrettini in a decisive final-set tiebreak.
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But by the end of the year, Alcaraz had become the youngest world No 1 in ATP history after picking up his first Grand Slam title at the US Open.
It means that the Spaniard has not competed in Melbourne since becoming one of the sport’s top players and he will be hungry to prove himself and secure his third Major trophy.
