' Reminds Me Of Rafael Nadal' : Novak Djokovic Heaps Praise On Carlos Alcaraz Ahead Of Australian Open Tie

Novak Djokovic, a ten-time Australian Open champion, advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2025 tournament with a commanding fourth-round victory over Czech player Jiri Lehecka on Sunday.

The Serbian ace's straight-sets win, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4), sets up a thrilling last-eight clash with Spain's rising star Carlos Alcaraz.

While Djokovic moved ahead with precision, Alcaraz secured his spot in the quarterfinals under different circumstances. The Spaniard was leading 7-5, 6-1 when his opponent, Briton Jack Draper, retired mid-match due to injury. Reflecting on his match with Lehecka, Djokovic said, "We had some long battles, long exchanges."

At his post-match press conference, Djokovic compared Alcaraz to legendary Spanish player Rafael Nadal. "The kind of matches that I played against him reminds me of my match-ups versus Nadal in terms of the intensity and the energy on the court," Djokovic remarked.

Praising Alcaraz's abilities, Djokovic added, "He's a very dynamic, explosive player. Incredibly talented. Charismatic player. Great to watch - not that great to play against," he joked.

Alcaraz, for his part, admired Djokovic's fitness and form, which seems to be improving as the tournament progresses. "When we are seeing him playing, he seems like he's young again. It's unbelievable. He's in a really good shape," Alcaraz noted.

The 21-year-old expressed confidence ahead of their quarterfinal encounter. "I'm just ready, and I know what I have to do in the quarter-finals," he said. Highlighting the importance of fitness in the latter stages of a Grand Slam, Alcaraz concluded, "Physically, I'm feeling great. So coming into the second week of a Grand Slam, it is important to feel well physically because right now the matches are even tougher."