Carlos Alcaraz already “legendary” at only 22

Novak Djokovic did not hold back in his praise for Carlos Alcaraz after losing to the Spaniard in the Australian Open final in Melbourne. Speaking with the sportsmanship that has defined his many trophy ceremonies, the Serbian star opened by congratulating his opponent.

“Congratulations, Carlos. What a two weeks. What you’re doing is historic,” Djokovic said on court. “I wish you the best of luck. You’re so young and you have a lot of time ahead of you, like me. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other a lot over the next 10 years,” he added, laughing.

Djokovic’s nod to Nadal

Djokovic then turned to his team. “Thank you to my team for the support. It’s hasn’t been smooth sailing. You’re my rock in my corner, and this success is yours too,” he said.

He also addressed his greatest rival, Rafael Nadal, who was watching from the stands at Rod Laver Arena. “It feels very weird to see Rafa up there and not down here. Having you watch the final was strange, but thank you for being present. There are too many Spanish legends here. It felt like two against one, which isn’t fair,” Djokovic joked, drawing laughs from the crowd.

An emotional thank you to Australian fans

Djokovic saved special words for the fans. “I had prepared a winning speech and a losing speech, so give me a moment,” he said. “I just want to say that I have never experienced as much love and support as I have in Australia. I’ve tried to give back what you’ve given me with good tennis over the years, I think 21 now.”

He continued, “I’ve always believed in myself because of you, and at this level that’s truly needed. I never thought I’d be at another Grand Slam final ceremony, and you’re part of the reason why. God knows what happens tomorrow, so it’s been an great ride.”

“Already a legendary player”

Later, more serious and visibly disappointed, Djokovic expanded on his thoughts during his postmatch news conference.

“The results are testament to his stellar career,” he said. “He’s an extraordinary player and deserves all the praise. He’s a young man with good values, a nice family, and he’s already a legendary player, leaving a huge mark on the history of the sport. At just 22 years old, it’s super impressive.”

High praise from the man many consider the greatest of all time. Djokovic recalled first facing Alcaraz when the Spaniard was just 18 or 19.

“You could already see he was destined for great things,” he said. “Since then he’s improved physically, mentally and technically. He’s always looking to innovate and evolve, which is the mentality of a champion. You can never be satisfied. If you’re not progressing, you’re regressing, because everyone else is progressing.”

“Carlos has everything, the complete package, and he’s also a nice guy who is very respected,” Djokovic added. “Everything is possible for him. With seven Grand Slams and all the accolades he’s already won, he’ll keep moving forward. And of course there’s Sinner. I guess those two will be fighting for the biggest titles, and the young guys like me will try to catch up,” he said with a smile.

Still believing at the highest level

Jokes aside, Djokovic insisted he still believes he can compete at the very top.

“I always believe I can. Otherwise I wouldn’t be competing, and I’ve said that numerous times,” he explained. “It was great to beat Jannik Sinner in five sets and to give Carlos such a tough battle in four very close sets.”

He admitted disappointment with how he felt during parts of the match. “I remain disappointed with how I felt in the second and third sets. After an incredible start, I was feeling great, but that’s sport. Things change.”

Looking back on the tournament as a whole, Djokovic struck a balanced tone. “If you assess these two weeks, reaching the final and being a couple of sets away from winning the championship is an incredible achievement for me. Of course, after a loss there’s a bitter feeling, but I still have to be content with the result.”

No excuses from Djokovic

Djokovic was clear that he would not point to physical issues to explain the shift in momentum.

“That comes across as an excuse and takes credit away from the winner, so I’m not going to do that,” he said. “I just want to congratulate Carlos. He deserved the win. The first set was one of the best I’ve played in the last two years.”

He pointed to a few key moments. “I regained some energy and momentum midway through the fourth set and asked the crowd to get involved in the match. They responded. Then came that mistake at 4-4 on break point, a forehand I missed at a crucial moment. Sometimes one or two shots change the momentum of a match, and that’s what happened.”

“I’m very disappointed I couldn’t maintain the feeling from the first set,” Djokovic added. “I have a lot of what ifs in my head, but you have to accept it.”

An uncertain future

Finally, speaking with Serbian reporters, Djokovic addressed questions about what comes next.

“I don’t know if I’ll come back or not. That’s why I left it open,” he said. “You’ve known me a long time and you know I don’t fake or joke about this. Over the last year, year and a half, I’ve said I’m not sure how much longer I’ll play or what that will look like.”

He mentioned the 2028 Olympics as a possibility, but nothing more. “I’d like to be there through the 2028 Games, but that could mean one tournament a year or 10 or 15. I don’t know. I don’t want to make long-term decisions about my future right now.”

“For now, I just want to be with my people,” Djokovic said. “I’ll see what I do. Honestly, I have no idea at this moment. I’m thinking about the next steps and the next tournaments.”

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