World’s number one, Carlos Alcaraz, claimed to be a “lucky guy” for having a top-level player like Novak Djokovic on tour and is looking forward to the Serb’s return to the Australian Open next month.
Djokovic missed two of the four Grand Slams of 2022 -in Melbourne and New York- because he was not vaccinated against covid-19, but will have permission to enter Australia for the 2023 edition.
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Alcaraz, 19, made the most of the absence of Djokovic, 35, at the US Open to win his first Grand Slam and become number 1 on the ATP youngest ever.
However, the Spaniard claims to be happy that Djokovic can compete at Melbourne Park, gladly accepting a possible confrontation with him. 21-time Grand Slam championwhat he has managed to win at the Australian Open nine times, a record number.
“Tennis is better having the best players in the world, and for the fans it is also good to see a tournament with the best players“, Alcaraz declared to the press in Abu Dhabi, where he is preparing to participate in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament.
“Speaking for myself, I want to see Novak play in every tournament. I have always said that if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best player in the world.. I’m a lucky guy to have Djokovic on tour.”
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Alcaraz revealed that he has recovered “almost one hundred percent” from the abdominal injury which forced him to withdraw from his Paris Masters quarterfinal match against Holger Rune last month and left him out of his last two events of the 2022 season: the ATP Finals, where Djokovic emerged champion, and the Finals of the Davis cup.
“Finally I feel good. I have had a month to recover my abdomen well and right now I feel almost one hundred percent. This last week I have trained normally and I feel very well,” said the Murcian.
