Djokovic on Alcaraz’s new serve: “We have to speak about the copyrights”

At the start of the new season, one of the biggest talking points has been the transformation of Carlos Alcaraz’s serve, reworked over the winter to make it a far more damaging weapon. The Spaniard has developed this innovation alongside Samu López and now presents a technique that inevitably brings to mind the one used by Novak Djokovic, still one of the most dominant servers in the game.

The comparison was hard to avoid in Melbourne. In his Australian Open opener against Pedro Martínez, the Serbian struck 14 aces and dropped just five points on serve. As expected, the parallels soon reached the players themselves. “I wasn’t thinking about copying Djokovic’s serve. But in the end, even I can see the similarities,” Alcaraz admitted with a smile at his pre-tournament press conference.

“I think everyone has to make changes, small details. For me, the serve is something I really want to improve every year, at every tournament. I’m just constantly working on it,” added the world No. 1, who came through his own opening match at the season’s first Grand Slam without trouble, beating Australia’s Adam Walton.

The following day, it was Djokovic’s turn, who cruised past Pedro Martínez and, in the press conference, commented on the similarities between his serve and the Spaniard’s. “As soon as I saw it I sent him a message. I said we have to speak about the copyrights,” the Balkan player joked.

A day later it was Djokovic’s turn. He swept past Martínez and was asked about the likeness between his service motion and that of the Spaniard. “As soon as I saw his serve, I sent him a message saying we needed to talk about copyright,” the Serb joked.

“When I saw him here, I told him we needed to discuss the percentages of his wins. For every ace he hits here, I expect a payment. We’ll see if he sticks to the deal,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion, smiling as he spoke. Djokovic, who is chasing an 11th Australian Open title, also reflected on his own performance. “I felt very fresh and very motivated, and that showed in a really positive way in my game. The level was very high. The serve worked almost perfectly – I didn’t give him any chances.”

Next up for Djokovic is Italy’s Francesco Maestrelli in the second round, while a meeting with Alcaraz would only come in a hypothetical final.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.