Novak Djokovic compares Carlos Alcaraz to 'Big 3' in lavish comments

04/24/2025 02:56 PM

Novak Djokovic leapt to the defence of Carlos Alcaraz after the young Spaniard received criticism in the Spanish media over his inconsistent form in 2025 and now he has backed that up by pouring lavish praise on his young rival.

Alcaraz beat Djokovic in the last two Wimbledon finals and has emerged as a leader of the new generation of tennis superstars, yet that has also brought huge expectations every time the 21-year-old steps on court.

Now Djokovic has paid the ultimate tribute to Alcaraz, as he suggested the young Spaniard has already reached the levels of excellence he achieved in his career, as he also suggested he has matched the levels reached by his fellow ‘Big 3’ rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

The comments from Djokovic will raise a few eyebrows, as any suggestion that a player is matching the brilliance of the three most successful male players in tennis history is an interesting claim.

Yet coming from Djokovic, these words will mean more to four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz as they were delivered on the day he was forced to pull out of the Madrid Masters due to injury.

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“He has already reached the tennis level,” said Djokovic when asked if Alcaraz was performing at a level to match the best players of all-time.

“With the results at this age, it can be said that he has accomplished more than any of us (Djokovic, Federer and Nadal) did at that age, but he has a career ahead of him and plenty of time; he has everything needed to make history, to become the greatest in our sport

“His absence [from the Madrid Open] is not good news for the tournament. Over the last two or three years, Carlos has been the number one star here with the Spanish fans, who give him tremendous support. He won in Monte Carlo, and just two days later played in Barcelona, reaching another final. Physically, it's expected that he will encounter some issues.”

Djokovic went on to claim the levels of consistency seen when he was dominating the sport may not be replicated by the next generation, with Alcaraz suffering some surprise defeats this season.

“It is true that Rafa dominated the clay court season, Roger the grass, and I the hard court season,” he said, reflecting on his own era.

“Personally, I believe that level of tennis and dominance came to me at 23 or 24, not before. And Alcaraz is not even 23 years old yet, we have to remember that what he has achieved at his age is not normal. And I assume we will continue to see him winning big trophies for as long as he is a professional player.

“It’s difficult to compare eras. The last 20 years were dominated by the four of us (Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Andy Murray). When my biggest rivals retired, there was a gap with the new generation. And many people have struggled to accept that Federer or Nadal are no longer playing. But I am still here, trying to represent my generation.”

Djokovic also spoke about his desire to fight on, as he prepares to make his first appearance in Madrid since 2022 and only his second since 2019.

“What did I miss the most? The atmosphere. I think it’s one of the best,” said Djokovic of the Madrid crowds.

“The whole area, the stadiums are very nice, electric when you play at night. I always have a good level of tennis when I play here. Now I’m looking for my best level, to see the level I want, especially for Roland Garros.

“I don’t have many expectations with the result, to be honest, but I’m very excited to play here. I like to play here because I feel the support of the people, a lot of positive energy. I hope to use this to play well.

“I’m still trying to stay there and represent the veterans, the previous generation. I hope that has a positive effect on the tournaments and on the tour.

“That is also one of the reasons why I keep playing: I feel that it also helps tennis to thrive thanks to the attention and the public that attends tournaments and is interested.

“If you look at the attendance figures at the Grand Slams and some, like Indian Wells, attendance records have been broken in recent years. It’s good news that it doesn’t depend on the great stars or legends who retire.

“It should be that way, it should be; the sport should outlive everyone, it will outlive everyone, and it’s more important than each individual individually. So we’re all here in the service of a sport.”

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