In the latest addition to their enthralling rivalry, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will face off in the semi-final of the 2023 ATP Finals. The latter is chasing a record seventh title, while the former is in his maiden campaign at the year-end championship. The duo have shared the spoils so far in a developing rivalry, and one of them will pull ahead tonight.
Carlos Alcaraz bounced back after starting the tournament with a loss to Alexander Zverev. He defeated Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev to win the Red Group with a 2-1 record. Djokovic, meanwhile, finished second in the Green Group with a similar performance, beating Holger Rune and Hubert Hurkacz. He lost the second match of the round-robin phase against Jannik Sinner, who finished with a perfect 3-0. All of the Serb’s fixtures have gone into the decider, while the young Spaniard’s two wins came in straight sets.
His defeat to Sinner remains the only negative result Djokovic has faced since losing the 2023 Wimbledon final to Alcaraz. On the other hand, the World No.2 has endured an inconsistent run with underwhelming results by his lofty standards.
Having crossed paths three times this year, the head-to-head between Djokovic and Alcaraz stands tied at 2-2. The top two of world tennis have brought out the best in each other and expect the upcoming semi-final to be no different. Djokovic has looked scratchy but is never too far away from roaring back to his best. He will have his eyes set on getting ahead of Roger Federer with a seventh ATP Finals title.
Alcaraz has found a bit of momentum after three consecutive losses but playing the World No.1 on his favourite surface is no easy task. Expect Djokovic to use all his experience and pedigree on indoor hardcourts to walk away with a win in three sets. Alcaraz is no pushover and will put up a fight, but the Serb will use his trademark resilience and mental strength to get into the final.
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz head-to-head and previous matches
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz’s budding rivalry has been a treat for tennis fans. The duo have dished out elite tennis every time they have squared off on the court.
Their head-to-head is split equally 2-2 after Novak Djokovic won their last clash. The 24-time Grand Slam winner emerged victorious after one of the best three-set fixtures in the final of the Cincinnati Masters. He saved a championship point en route to a 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) win over Alcaraz. This was the first hardcourt match between the two and Djokovic unsurprisingly displayed his peak form.
Before that, Alcaraz beat Djokovic in the Wimbledon final to announce himself as a genuine challenger to the seven-time champion. The Spaniard lifted his second Grand Slam title after a five-set epic. The pair’s first clash of 2023 was at the French Open semi-final. It started promisingly as both took one hard-fought set each but ended in a whimper after Alcaraz began cramping up and eventually lost without putting up much of a fight.
Other than a spot in the final and a shot at the ATP Finals title, bragging rights are also at stake in this fixture. The winner will take the head-to-head lead. Given the surface and the gravity of the match, Djokovic would likely be the one to march ahead and get his third in over Alcaraz.
