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Carlos Alcaraz Explains Why Novak Djokovic is ‘Smartest Player’ on Tour

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Gouri Das | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 10:05 AM ET

According to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic is currently the smartest player on tour. The veteran and the youngster will face each other if they both reach the championship match at Wimbledon.

If this happens, then the Serb will be playing Alcaraz for the third consecutive time in the Wimbledon final. Djokovic had lost both times.

Alcaraz has secured a spot in the fourth round after a four-set win over Jan-Lennard Struff, improving the head-to-head record to 3-1. At the press conference later, the Spaniard was asked who he thinks is the smartest player on the tour.

That’s a good question. Right now, I believe Novak Djokovic is the smartest guy on the court. Novak is undoubtedly the player with the most knowledge about this sport. With his experience and all he has lived on a tennis court, having watched many matches in his career, I think he knows the most about this sport.

Alcaraz has met Djokovic eight times, winning three of those matches. It was Djokovic who denied the 22-year-old a chance to become the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam by knocking him out in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

In the 2023 Wimbledon final, Alcaraz denied Djokovic the Calendar Grand Slam as the latter had won the rest of the Majors. But since that year’s US Open, Nole has reached only one Grand Slam final- at the 2024 Wimbledon, where Djokovic lost easily in straight sets to Alcaraz.

A fourth consecutive 4R at #Wimbledon awaits Carlos Alcaraz

The defending champion defeats Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 pic.twitter.com/sRdINzTkPW
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2025

Djokovic, who before this season played every Wimbledon final since 2018, booked a place in the third round of the ongoing event after beating Alexandre Muller and Dan Evans. He will next lock horns with compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic, who he defeated thrice, and will be facing him for the second time at SW19 after the 2022 season. Djokovic last lifted a Wimbledon title in 2022 by beating Nick Kyrgios.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion is chasing his eighth Wimbledon title. He is bidding to win his second title of the season following the Geneva Open by beating Hubert Hurkacz. Djokovic also hasn’t yet lifted a Big Title since winning the 2024 Paris Olympics final by beating the five-time Grand Slam champion.

Carlos Alcaraz will next face Andrey Rublev

Carlos Alcaraz will next play a seeded player for the first time in the tournament as he has scheduled a fourth-round clash with 14th seed Andrey Rublev, who knocked out Adrian Mannarino in straight sets. The Murcia native has met the Russian ace thrice, winning two of those matches.

They will, however, face each other for the first time on grass. Alcaraz is a four-time champion on the surface, winning his latest title at the Queen’s Club Championships by beating Jiri Lehecka.

Rublev, although he has never reached beyond the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, has played two grass-court finals- in the 2021 and 2023 Halle Open, losing both to Ugo Humbert and Alexander Bublik, respectively. Alcaraz is expecting nothing less than a tough challenge from Rublev.

Andrey is a very powerful player. I think he always plays well on grass because he loves to be aggressive. When he finds his forehand, he loves to move his opponent from side to side. It’s going to be very tough facing him because, on grass, mobility is really the trickiest aspect to nail down.
Carlos Alcaraz said at the press conference

If Alcaraz wins Wimbledon, he will become the fifth man in the Open Era to win three consecutive titles here. Rublev has reached two finals this year, winning the Qatar Open and losing the Hamburg European Open. Last year in the grass-court Major, he lost to Francisco Comesana in the first round.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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