Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are fierce rivals on the court but best of friends outside it.
The two tennis stars are at very different stages of their careers but have savored their best tennis in high-stakes matches between them. Last year, they met four times on tour, with Djokovic emerging on top on three occasions, including an epic Cincinnati Open final.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, ended Djokovic’s reign as four-time defending champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed at SW19 for the first time. The pair renewed their rivalry during a lucrative exhibition match in Saudi Arabia during the off-season, a contest which the Spaniard won.
The pair swapped their tennis gear and rackets for classy suits to walk the red carpet at the Laureus Worlds Sports Awards on Tuesday night in Madrid, where Djokovic was nominated for the Sportsman of the Year award.
Before the 24-time Grand Slam champion was presented with his record-equalling fifth award during the night, he met Alcaraz while walking the red carpet. He politely interrupted Alcaraz’s interview from seemingly a Real Madrid journalist holding the club’s microphone.
Djokovic and Alcaraz shared a warm embrace and casually chatted. They also joyfully complimented each other’s suits. The video of their light-hearted interaction was shared on X (formerly Twitter) and can be seen below.
Alcaraz won the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year award last year, thanks to his meteoric rise. After winning his first Grand Slam at the 2022 US Open, he became the youngest World No. 1 in ATP history.
He was tasked with presenting the same award to this year’s winner, Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid. Djokovic and Alcaraz have not seen eye-to-eye on tennis courts for most of this year for very different reasons.
Djokovic is playing a few tournaments on tour as he continues to balance his private and professional life, while Alcaraz has been forced to miss some tournaments due to injury.
