World number one Carlos Alcaraz has defended his father
after it was reported that he filmed the current world number two Serbia’s Novak
Djokovic while training at Wimbledon.
The 20-year-old has been in sparkling form in the ongoing
campaign where he is now just one win away from booking his place in the final
of the mega-event.
Alcaraz, if he manages to get there, is expected to face the
defending champion Djokovic who will be eying to equal the eighth Wimbledon
title record of Roger Federer.
The 36-year-old, in a recent statement, has called for more ‘privacy’
while training after it was reported that he was filmed by Alcaraz’s father on
Monday.
The top-seeded player was asked by the reporters whether his
father filmed to give him some insights for a potential clash in the final of
the Grand Slam.
In response to that, Alcaraz stated that he has enough videos
from the 23-time Grand Slam winner and that it does not give him any advantage whatsoever.
"Oh, probably it is true [that my father filmed
Djokovic],” he said. “My father is a huge fan of tennis. He doesn't only watch
my matches. I think he gets into the club at 11 a.m., gets out at 10 p.m.,
watching matches, watching practice from everyone. Be able to watch Djokovic in
real life, yeah, probably it is true he's filmed the sessions. I don't think so [that
it gives me any advantage]. I mean, I have a lot of videos from Djokovic on
every platform. I think it's not an advantage for me.”
Alcaraz defeated Denmark’s Holger Rune on Wednesday in
straight sets with a score of 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 to book a place in his first-ever
Wimbledon semifinal.
He is now set to face the current world number three Russia’s
Daniil Medvedev for a place in the final of the competition.
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.