Tennis - Australian Open: Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz, everything you need to know about the duel (stats, schedule, TV broadcast, etc.)
by Tyler Doty | by Tyler Doty
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz: Act 8
This quarterfinal of our Australian Open prediction between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will be the first under the eyes of the Australian public, who will have the opportunity to witness the greatest rivalry in current tennis. The Serbian and the Spaniard have faced each other 7 times, including 4 tournament finals, and in each of these encounters, the winner was crowned champion of the respective tournament.
Is this a final before the final? One thing is for sure: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz arrive at this Australian Open quarterfinal in top form after progressively gaining strength in the early rounds.
After being challenged in the first two rounds by young American Nishesh Basavareddy and Portuguese Jaime Faria, where he dropped a set to both opponents, Novak Djokovic has raised his game level in the early tests at the 2025 Australian Open.
The ten-time tournament winner left no chances for Czechs Tomas Machac and Jiri Lehecka, dominating both matches from start to finish. The Serbian has spent 11 hours and 1 minute on court since the beginning of the tournament and will be physically ready for this showdown:
- 1st Round: Novak Djokovic defeats Nishesh Basavareddy (4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2)
- 2nd Round: Novak Djokovic defeats Jaime Faria (6-1, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2)
- 3rd Round: Novak Djokovic defeats Tomas Machac (6-1, 6-4, 6-4)
- Round of 16: Novak Djokovic defeats Jiri Lehecka (6-3, 6-4, 7-6)
Carlos Alcaraz, often struggling in Melbourne in the past, will aim to reach the semifinals for the first time in his career. Arriving in Australia in much better physical form than in previous years, the Spaniard has shown his prowess on the court despite a highly competitive draw.
He controlled his opening matches against Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko and Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka, then managed his match against Portuguese Nuno Borges, a quarterfinalist last year, before benefiting from Jack Draper's retirement in the previous round after taking charge of the first two sets.
Carlos Alcaraz has spent 7 hours and 45 minutes on court at this Australian Open, and like the Serbian, the Spaniard enters this quarterfinal in excellent physical condition.
- 1st Round: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Alexander Shevchenko (6-1, 7-5, 6-1)
- 2nd Round: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Yoshihito Nishioka (6-0, 6-1, 6-4)
- 3rd Round: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Nuno Borges (6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2)
- Round of 16: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Jack Draper (7-5, 6-1, ab)
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz: Previous Encounters
This quarterfinal duel at the Australian Open, for which all information can be found in our Novak Djokovic - Carlos Alcaraz prediction, will be the 8th encounter between the two. Novak Djokovic currently leads with 4 wins to 3, including the most recent win in August 2024, which earned the Serbian an Olympic gold medal.
- 04/08/2024: Novak Djokovic defeats Carlos Alcaraz (7-6, 7-6) – Olympic Games Final
- 14/07/2024: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Novak Djokovic (6-2, 6-2, 7-6) – Wimbledon Final
- 18/11/2023: Novak Djokovic defeats Carlos Alcaraz (6-3, 6-2) – ATP Masters Semifinal
- 20/08/2023: Novak Djokovic defeats Carlos Alcaraz (5-7, 7-6, 7-6) – Cincinnati Masters Final
- 16/07/2023: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Novak Djokovic (1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4) – Wimbledon Final
- 09/06/2023: Novak Djokovic defeats Carlos Alcaraz (6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1) – French Open Semifinal
- 07/05/2022: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Novak Djokovic (6-7, 7-5, 7-6) – Madrid Masters Semifinal
Predictions to Avoid/Try for this Djokovic vs Alcaraz Match
This clash between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will attract attention from tennis fans worldwide, as well as bettors looking to place their predictions on this highly anticipated matchup. After analyzing their previous encounters, here are some conclusions:
Favor a close match
As you can see from the recap of their encounters, the duels have been hard-fought and competitive most of the time. While the last two matches saw Novak Djokovic and then Carlos Alcaraz come out on top, the battle has been intense, as seen in the Olympic final, which was won by the Serbian in 2 sets but after 2 tiebreaks and 26 games! Therefore, we can expect a long fight between the two, whether it ends in 3, 4, or 5 sets, with many service games won by both players.
One or more tiebreaks to separate the two players
In the 7 duels between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, there have been 8 tiebreaks between the two, spread across 5 of their 7 encounters. On a fast surface like the Rod Laver Arena, either of them could prove solid on their serve.
Advantage Djokovic in recent matchups
While both tennis players have given us tough battles over the last three seasons, it is the Serbian who has gained the upper hand since 2023, with 3 wins in their last 4 matches. Even though all records will be reset, it's important to remember that Carlos Alcaraz has often struggled at the Australian Open, frequently starting his seasons slowly.
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz: How to Follow the Australian Open Quarterfinal?
This is the match everyone wanted to see at the Australian Open, and the draw has set up this clash for the quarterfinals! To watch the full match of this current tennis classic, tune in to ESPN bright and early on Tuesday morning at 4:30 AM from Rod Laver Arena!
