Alcaraz relishing battle with Djokovic for No 1 spot

The Spaniard has been scrapping it out with Novak Djokovic for top spot all year

Icon SMI / Panoramic

August 14, 2023

Very little seems to faze Carlos Alcaraz; be it playing his first slam final last year, or winning Wimbledon this summer.

Victory in New York last September not only gave Alcaraz his first slam title, it also propelled him to the world No 1 ranking, making him the youngest man to head the rankings in ATP history.

Ever since, the Spaniard has been in a battle to hold on to it with Novak Djokovic, the Serb grabbing it back a couple of times before Alcaraz’s win in the Wimbledon final put him back on top.

Heading into the Cincinnati Masters this week, with the points for last year taken off, Alcaraz is 420 points ahead of Djokovic in the live rankings. The No 1 ranking could change hands again come Sunday, though Alcaraz can assure he retains it if he reaches the final in Cincinnati.

Nothing but respect 🤝@carlosalcaraz on his ongoing rivalry over World No.1 with Djokovic#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/dHfCVIOefq

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2023

What’s for sure is that Alcaraz is enjoying the scrap.

“I like those battles. I like to know that I can lose, and I can recover it at the same time,” he told reporters in Cincinnati. “Of course, you have to enjoy when the battle is against one of the legends from our sport, against Novak. I feel that I’m (the) main opponent for him. For me, it’s something crazy and I’m trying to enjoy.”

“You have to put goals to yourself during the season, in every tournament. And for me right now the main goal is to stay in the top spot and if I lose it, try to recover it as fast as I can. It’s something that helped me a lot to show my best level in the big tournaments.”

Alcaraz hoping lightning will strike twice

Alcaraz begins Cincinnati looking for top form, having lost to Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals. But even at the age of 20, he has the experience to know that peaking at the US Open is the main goal.

“Looking back to last year, first round (in Montreal), then quarter-finals (in Cincinnati), and then I won the US Open,” he said. “I have to overcome that week that I had in Toronto, try to play better here and try to do better the things that I did bad in Toronto.”