Carlos Alcaraz Dodges a Bullet, Admits He’d Rather Face Anyone But Novak Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his ATP Finals campaign in Turin with a solid win, but let’s be honest, the real story happened before he even stepped on the court. In a dramatic twist that feels straight out of a sports movie script, Alcaraz found himself dodging a showdown with the one and only Novak Djokovic, and he’s not pretending to be upset about it.
After dispatching Alex de Minaur 7-6(5), 6-2, Alcaraz was refreshingly candid about the last-minute shake-up in his group.
“I’m not going to lie, I prefer Lorenzo over Novak in the group,” Alcaraz said with a grin that could be seen from space. And can you blame him? Facing Djokovic at the ATP Finals, a tournament he’s won a record seven times, is like willingly stepping into a lion’s den armed with a fly swatter.
How Did This All Go Down?
The whole situation is a bit of a circus. The drama began at the ATP 250 final in Athens on Saturday, where Novak Djokovic battled Lorenzo Musetti. Djokovic, in typical fashion, came out on top, seemingly crushing Musetti’s dreams of qualifying for the prestigious eight-player field in Turin.
But then, in a plot twist worthy of a daytime soap opera, Djokovic withdrew from the ATP Finals just hours later, citing an injury. And who was there to take his place? None other than the guy he just beat, Lorenzo Musetti. This last-second swap means that instead of a grueling round-robin clash with the 38-year-old tennis legend, Alcaraz gets to face the young Italian. Talk about a lucky break.
“Obviously someone like Novak being in the group is always tough,” Alcaraz explained. “The experience he has in this tournament, the level he has on an indoor court, it’s quite good. I lost to him in 2023, and I played great. He killed me.”
You have to appreciate the honesty. Alcaraz knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a Djokovic masterclass, and he’s more than happy to avoid a repeat performance, especially with so much on the line.
What’s at Stake for Alcaraz?
This unexpected gift from the tennis gods couldn’t have come at a better time for Alcaraz. The young Spaniard is locked in a tight battle with Jannik Sinner for the coveted year-end No. 1 ranking. Avoiding Djokovic, arguably the toughest indoor competitor in the history of the sport, significantly boosts his chances of sweeping the round-robin stage. If he manages to win all three of his group matches, he’ll secure the top spot.
Despite the obvious advantage, Alcaraz isn’t taking his new opponent lightly. He acknowledged that Musetti earned his spot and will be a dangerous foe, especially with the home crowd cheering him on.
“If he’s there, he deserves it because of the level he has put on in the matches,” Alcaraz said. “Let’s see how he’s going to be, how he’s going to adapt. He’s coming from Athens, and he couldn’t feel the court at all.”
It’s a valid point. Musetti is coming in hot from a grueling three-hour match against Djokovic and hasn’t had any time to practice on the Turin court. It’s a tough situation for the Italian, but a golden opportunity for Alcaraz.
Even Musetti found the whole situation a bit strange, laughing about it with Djokovic at the net after their Athens final. “I think the strange situation was that he was playing literally the week before the Masters,” Musetti noted. “That could be a little bit strange for a player who is already qualified.”
Strange indeed. But for Carlos Alcaraz, it’s the kind of strange that could end with him on top of the world. After securing his first win against de Minaur, he now has his sights set on Musetti and Taylor Fritz, feeling a whole lot better about his chances without the shadow of Djokovic looming over his group.
