Novak Djokovic Admits He Was Astonished at Carlos Alcaraz’s Level While Playing Golf With Him

Carlos Alcaraz has played with the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Roddick on the golf course.

Novak Djokovic Admits He Was Astonished at Carlos Alcaraz’s Level While Playing Golf With Him

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, PandaSportsPicks)

In Short
  • Novak Djokovic praised Carlos Alcaraz's impressive golf skills after playing together.
  • Alcaraz remains undefeated this season with a 14-0 record on tour.
  • Djokovic aims to manage his physical and mental state while competing against younger players.

Novak Djokovic has given a sneak peek into Carlos Alcaraz’s secret golf skills, stating that the Spanish youngster is good at the sport just as he is in professional tennis. Both players are in the same half of the draw at the ongoing Indian Wells and could face each other in the semi-finals.

Alcaraz has never hidden his love for golf. The seven-time Grand Slam champion has often been seen at golf courses with famous faces from tennis and the golf scene. It was reported that in Melbourne, he played Roger Federer and American legend Andy Roddick on the golf course. Also, golf seems to be a sport that is being liked by male tennis players.

They find the sport very interesting and often use it to cool off from the pressure they face on the court in tournaments. Also, they use it to get over disappointments in the tournament, and it helps build their confidence. World No.2 Jannik Sinner has also revealed that he’s a fan of the sport and he often plays it during his spare time.

Djokovic, who has been away from the tour for the past few weeks, arrived at Indian Wells with the hopes of winning the championship, which will be his first ATP Masters since the Paris Masters in 2023. The World No.3 also seems to have had a good golf session with Alcaraz before the tournament kicked off.

After earning his place in the fourth round of the Indian Wells Open for the first time since 2017, he sat for an interview with Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj. He revealed that he’s much closer to Alcaraz in tennis than in golf. The 24-time Grand Slam winner added that it was fun spending time with the Spaniard on the golf course:

It was my first time to play with those guys. It was fun, a lot of laughter, a lot of mind games. But it was good. I don’t play as much as I used to. But the guys are good. I think Alcaraz is on his way. I show up and the guy rips a 300-yard drive, par five, and he’s going for his eagle. I’m like, ‘Is there anything you’re not good at, man?’ What’s going on here, it’s like raw power. He loves his golf. It was nice to spend time with these guys.

Alcaraz is yet to lose a match on tour this season and holds an emphatic 14-0 record on tour. He defeated Arthur Rinderknech in three sets to reach the fourth round of the Indian Wells, a tournament he has won twice and reached the quarter-finals every year since 2022. Should he win the title, it will be his third trophy of the year.

Novak Djokovic explains how he intends to manage his physical level this season

Before the 2026 Australian Open, there was a growing debate on why Novak Djokovic needs to retire. His critics pointed to the fact that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were miles ahead of him and he lacked what it takes to compete with them. But he shut them up at the Melbourne Grand Slam by beating Sinner in five sets after over four hours at the Rod Laver Arena.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/SK)

However, Djokovic is not carried away by the fact that he beat the Italian; the Serbian legend is still mindful of which tournament he plays in and how to maintain his physical level in the most difficult part of the season. During the aforementioned interview, he revealed that he’s trying to manage his body while still eager to compete at the highest level:

I’m trying to manage my body, my mental state on a daily basis so I can be peaking as much as I possibly can. There’s a challenge, an obstacle across the net of who you get to play, and that’s not going to get easier from here. The opponents are only going to get tougher. I love the challenge. That’s the biggest reason why I’m still here and competing with these young guys. I want to see how they beat me…if they can!

Djokovic will face Jack Draper in the fourth round of the Indian Wells Open. He had faced the British star just once this season, and that came at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, with Draper making his debut. He came from a set down to beat the 24-year-old at the Grand Slam tournament.

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