Alcaraz talks about the similarity of his serve and Djokovic's: "They are similar, I can't hide it, but I didn't do it by looking at him"

Jose Morón | 23 Jan 2026 | 08.11

Alcaraz talks about the resemblance of his serve to Djokovic's: "They look alike, I can't hide it"

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🎾 Carlos Alcaraz vs Tommy Paul

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It was supposed to be a fun match, and indeed it was. Carlos Alcaraz – Corentin Moutet entertained the fans at Rod Laver Arena in the Australian Open, with Carlitos stopping the Frenchman's tricks to advance to the second week of competition in Melbourne. Watch out, because challenges lie ahead.

And those challenges have a name and surname: Tommy Paul. The American once again crosses paths with the Spaniard in a major tournament, where he has already defeated him, though not yet in a best-of-five sets match. After a challenging end to 2025 due to injuries, Paul seems to have found better form at the start of this season and poses a threat to Alcaraz in the first Grand Slam of the year.

Carlitos reaches the fourth round without having dropped a single set in this opening week of competition in Australia. Any minute he can save with the intense heat in Melbourne will be beneficial considering what lies ahead in the draw.

Press conference by Carlos Alcaraz after reaching the Australian Open fourth round

Highlights of this match

I have watched a few. I like watching them because from the outside, it looks very different from how it feels from within. I enjoy watching them and remembering how I felt. Also from other matches. It amuses me and excites me; it's fun.

New serving mechanics and room for improvement

I have a lot of room for improvement. It's going well, with a high percentage. I feel very comfortable, which is important, but there's still room for improvement. In practice and even in warm-ups, I focus on doing it the right way. The advantage of a smooth mechanic is that when I don't feel comfortable with the serve, it allows me to have good sensations. That's why we seek a smoother and more comfortable mechanic.

Djokovic joked about the similarity of his serve with mine

We joked about that. He sent me a message, and when I saw it, it made me laugh. Being here, I saw both serves, comparing them, and it's true that they look very similar. I can't deny it. For me, Djokovic serves very well, and his motion is very simple, and I have always liked it. That doesn't mean I copied him; I didn't do it by looking at him, I just made changes and ended up doing it this way.

About Tommy Paul

A great player. We were talking in the locker room about the last time we faced each other, which was a while back. I know what I need to do against him. He is very fast, has quick hands and hits very flat, but I'll have to play my best tennis to beat him. I am ready to endure against him because I know there will be moments where he takes the initiative in the rallies and at critical times.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz habla de la similitud de su saque y el de Djokovic: "Se parecen, no puedo esconderlo, pero no lo hice fijándome en él"