Martina Navratilova believes Novak Djokovic controls the rivalry against Carlos Alcaraz as she compares the competitiveness between the ATP and WTA Tour

Navratilova believes Djokovic's dominance shapes match quality in his rivalry with Alcaraz.

Martina Navratilova believes Novak Djokovic controls the rivalry against Carlos Alcaraz as she compares the competitiveness between the ATP and WTA Tour

Martina Navratilova, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. (Images via Essentially Sports & IMAGO)

Tennis ace Martina Navratilova claimed that the rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz is predominantly controlled by the Serb. The Alcaraz-Djokovic rivalry has been a source of media fuel. However, the American believes that it is mostly Djokovic who has a controlling hand in their rivalry.

Novak Djokovic is indisputable in his title of one of the greatest tennis players in history. Alongside the Big 3 consisting of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, he has been a leading contender in the debate for the greatest tennis player of all time. With 24 Grand Slam titles, he holds the record for the most number of Grand Slam titles in men’s tennis.

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However, with Federer retiring and Nadal being down from injury, the baton has been passed on to the next generation of players. However, it seems like the Serb has a couple more years in him until he passes his baton. This has led to generational rivalries between Djokovic and the next set of players.

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However, Martina Navratilova believed that it was still Djokovic who was dictating the rivalry between the youngsters, especially Carlos Alcaraz. She said:

The question is: 'How many years does Novak have left?' Now it looks like he could play for another 20 years. We'll see but it would be better if they were closer in age to see more matches.

She added that tennis fans have become accustomed to the excellent play of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The American was pleased with the generational clash between players and the mutual respect they showed.

Martina Navratilova explains the importance of worthy opponents

The 18-time singles Grand Slam champion has admitted that no matter how good the player is, the match will not be an excellent display unless the opponent is good as well. She revealed that a good opponent is vital for producing good points.

Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova (via People Magazine)

She said:

They are the only ones who can give their best, because in tennis you can be the best in the world, but if you play against a bad opponent you won’t see good points.

Navratilova has emphasized the importance of a good opponent if a player wishes to produce a significant match. She also compared ATP and WTA players, emphasizing that both give their best and depend on the excellence of their opponents.

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