Tennis players, after repeatedly facing each other throughout the season, usually establish strong relationships. Although some maintain a mutual respect without reaching a close friendship, there is generally a good vibe between them. Recently, a photo of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner traveling together on a private jet after Alcaraz’s victory in the China Open final went viral. Now, it was Carlitos’ turn to meet Novak Djokovic.
Before his triumphant debut against China’s Shang Juncheng in the second round of the Shanghai Masters 1000, Alcaraz crossed paths with Djokovic in the tournament corridors. Their meeting was very friendly, and the Serbian gave him a charismatic nickname: “Titanito!” The relationship between the two has been strengthened due to the impressive level that Alcaraz has shown, which has allowed him to reach the final stages.
The meeting took place at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, where both tennis players exchanged a few words before starting their training sessions. During the conversation, Alcaraz joked about Djokovic’s physical condition, asking him: “Where do you go?”, to which Djokovic replied with humor: “You spend too much time on the court, and I spend too much time off,” causing laughter between the two and demonstrating their good relationship.
Preparations for the Third RoundAfter his convincing 6-2, 6-2 victory over Shang Juncheng, Alcaraz is preparing for the third round of the Shanghai Masters 1000, where he will face another local player, Wu Yibing. The latter has already beaten Sumit Nagal and Nicolas Jarry, so the Spaniard will have to face a very supportive crowd.
The match is scheduled to be the third encounter on Stadium Court, starting after matches between Matteo Arnaldi and Daniil Medvedev, as well as between Jannik Sinner and Tomas Etcheverry. This will be the first meeting between Alcaraz and the 24-year-old Chinese player.