"It’s horrible": French tennis player reveals difference between facing Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz
ATP
French tennis star Alexandre Muller has recently opened up
the difference between former world number one Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and
Spain’s young sensation Carlos Alcaraz. Both players are regarded as amongst
the best in men’s tennis along with Italy’s Jannik Sinner.
Muller has been recently quoted in a French publication We
Love Tennis where he highlighted the difference between facing the two players.
The 27-year-old stated that it was relatively easier to face someone like Alcaraz
but a lot tougher to face Djokovic who does not let you ‘breath’ on the court.
“Facing Novak, the truth is that I have never had this
feeling on a tennis court since,” he said. “It was totally suffocating. The guy leaves
you nothing, not a crumb, it’s horrible. I played Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon,
it was almost relaxed, Carlos lets you breathe a little, Novak, he suffocates
you constantly.”
Djokovic is regarded as the greatest player in the history of
men’s tennis in the singles category, having won as many as 24 Grand Slam
titles. The Belgrade-born star has not had a great season, as it is the first time in seven years that he failed to win a single Grand Slam in a season. However,
he will still look back at the 2024 season fondly, as it is this year when he
finally managed to complete his trophy cabinet. Djokovic finally won the
Olympic gold medal for his country after beating Alcaraz in the final in Paris
with a score of 7-6, 7-6.
On the other hand, the young Spaniard had an impressive season, to say the least. Other than losing in the final of the singles category
at the Paris Olympics, Alcaraz went on to win two out of four Grand Slams. He
won the French Open for the first time in his career after beating Germany’s Alexander
Zverev in the final in a five-set thriller with a score of 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1,
6–2. He then went on to win the Wimbledon title after beating Djokovic in the
final in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-2, 7-6.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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