Carlos Alcaraz Likely to Be Biggest Thorn in Novak Djokovic Achieving Major 2024 Goal

Carlos Alcaraz recently announced his withdrawal from the Basel Open due to multiple injuries. The Spaniard has had a turbulent time since winning the Wimbledon title, as he has failed to win any championship after that. Now with the Basel Open not happening for Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic is the clear favorite to end the season as the year-end No.1.

It is likely that Alcaraz will take time off again in 2023 and come back fresh for the 2024 season. The Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals are the two big remaining tournaments on the tennis calendar in 2023. The Carlos Alcaraz injury news came on the same day as Novak Djokovic agreeing to participate in the United Cup 2024. The Serb is likely to be the year-end No.1 for 2023 but might still meet Alcaraz early in 2024.

Djokovic confirms United Cup 2024 participation, will Alcaraz follow?

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Thursday confirmed his participation in the United Cup 2024. The tournament, which is perceived as a warmup for the Australian Open, could feature some other big names from the ATP Tour. Serbia did not compete in the United Cup 2023 as Novak Djokovic withdrew from the tournament. But in 2024, along with Serbia, Spain is likely to qualify for the competition too due to Carlos Alcaraz’s high ranking.

This will be Novak Djokovic’s first ever United Cup appearance and it could be a treat for the spectators. After missing out on the Serbia-Spain clash at the Davis Cup, fans are likely to see Alcaraz and Djokovic add another chapter to their rivalry. It could be at the United Cup before the Australian Open if both the countries qualify in the knockout rounds. Alcaraz and Djokovic last clashed at the Cincinnati Masters in which Djokovic won a high-adrenaline final.

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz head to head

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are level at 2-2 on their head-to-head, which shows how close their clashes have been. Alcaraz beat Djokovic in Madrid in 2022. But in 2023, Djokovic hit back with a win against the World No.2 in the French Open semifinals.

Alcaraz got his headline win when he defeated Djokovic in five sets at the Wimbledon final 2023. However, the Serbian again bounced back with a thrilling 3-set final against the Spaniard at the Cincinnati Masters. With the World No.1 ranking and ATP rankings race points on the line, the battle between Djokovic and Alcaraz is one to look out for. Although the Spaniard is injured, he would be hoping for a quick recovery to challenge the Serb again.