Novak Djokovic triumphed over Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round of the ongoing Australian Open 2024, paving the way for an exciting quarter-final encounter with his long-time rival, Carlos Alcaraz. The Serbian exhibited a commanding performance on Sunday in Melbourne, easily winning the first two sets against Lehecka. However, the Czech player attempted to stage a comeback in the third set, garnering support from the crowd.

To Djokovic's dismay, the spectators at Rod Laver Arena began to disrupt and distract him, particularly during his service games, prompting intervention from the chair umpire.

‘They remind me of my duels against Rafael Nadal’: Novak Djokovic

In anticipation of the upcoming quarter-final match, Djokovic drew parallels between his matches with Alcaraz and those he had with Rafael Nadal, who announced his retirement last year. Alcaraz is widely regarded as Nadal's successor in both Spain and the global tennis arena.

“Like in most of our encounters, I hope Carlos and I can engage in a thrilling contest. There have only been two matches between us that were lopsided. I performed admirably against him at the 2023 ATP Finals, and he responded with a strong performance in last year's Wimbledon final,” he remarked.

“The other matches were lengthy and demanding. They evoke memories of my battles with Rafa Nadal, particularly in terms of the intensity and energy we both bring to the court,” he continued.

Alcaraz has faced Djokovic on seven occasions, with the Spaniard trailing 3-4. All their matches have taken place in either semi-finals or finals of the ATP Tour and the Olympics.

Their first encounter occurred at the 2022 Madrid Masters semi-finals, where Alcaraz triumphed in a decisive set tiebreaker. They met again in the semi-finals of the 2023 French Open, where Djokovic emerged victorious in four sets, as Alcaraz succumbed to cramps.

Their subsequent meeting was the 2023 Wimbledon final, where Alcaraz claimed victory over Djokovic in a five-set match. They faced each other once more at the 2023 Cincinnati Masters final, with Djokovic securing the win. In 2024, they competed in two finals, with Alcaraz winning at Wimbledon and Djokovic prevailing in Paris.

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