Novak Djokovic hilariously responds to claims that Carlos Alcaraz 'stole' his serve
NewsMonday, 19 January 2026 at 21:45
Novak Djokovic showed his trademark sense of humor when asked about Carlos Alcaraz's new service motion that many feel is very similar to the Serbian's.
Alcaraz already possesses a formidable game, but his serve has consistently been cited as an area for improvement. The Spaniard's work to improve that shot dates back several months.
Decisions about how to technically improve that shot have shifted since Juan Carlos Ferrero's surprising departure from Alcaraz's team. He had been the 22-year-old's mentor and coach since 2019.
That development has not stopped Alcaraz from making alterations to his serve. Samuel Lopez, the ATP world No. 1's co-coach last season, and other personnel who remain on the team have worked with him on improvements.
Fans watching Alcaraz's opening match at the 2026 Australian Open against Adam Walton, which he won in straight sets, noticed the differences in his serve and compared it to how Djokovic hits the same shot.
Djokovic was asked about Alcaraz's serve being compared to his in a press conference after beating Adam Walton at the Australian Open. The tennis legend light-heartedly said he expects to be compensated for his younger rival seemingly copying him.
"As soon as I saw it, I sent him a message. I said, we have to speak about the copyrights. Then when I saw him here, I told him we have to talk about percentage of his winnings. Every ace I expect, you know, a tribute to me. Every ace that he makes here. Let's see if he's going to stick to the agreement."
Fans can be certain that Djokovic was joking since he and Alcaraz have shared a good relationship since the reigning French Open and US Open champion's emergence, even though they have been rivals near the top.
Djokovic's quarterfinal triumph over Alcaraz at the 2025 Australian Open was his best recent win at a Grand Slam. They can only meet in the final this year, and Djokovic will probably need to beat Jannik Sinner in the semifinal.
Novak Djokovic was happy with how he played and felt in his opening 2026 Australian Open match
A few days before the 2026 Australian Open began, some of Novak Djokovic's fans were concerned about him cutting a practice session short after looking in discomfort. The 38-year-old has suffered from more frequent injury issues in the last few years.
Thankfully, there seemed to be nothing worry about in his first-round contest against Pedro Martinez. Djokovic comfortably triumphed 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, and spoke afterward about how he felt good on the court.
"It felt good tonight. Let's see how it's going to feel in a few days' time. Performance-wise, the feeling on the court, it was great. I couldn't ask for more. Obviously a great serving performance. Just overall felt really good on the court that has made me feel good on it for so many times throughout my career."
The 24-time Grand Slam champion's next match will be against Francesco Maestrelli on Wednesday. If he plays as he did against Martinez, there is no chance his Italian opponent will defeat him.
Popular News
Just In
Loading
