MELBOURNE, Australia — When Carlos Alcaraz was asked to share his thoughts on his upcoming Australian Open quarterfinal matchup against Novak Djokovic, he couldn't have put it better.

"Not the right player to play in the quarter-finals," joked the world number three.

This heavyweight showdown would be a worthy final in any tennis tournament on the planet. But at this year's Australian Open, the two giants will have a long battle in the quarter-finals.

Here's how each player won the game and advanced to the semifinals:

Why Novak Djokovic will beat Carlos Alcaraz

Is it too simplistic to say that Djokovic only knows how to win at Melbourne Park? Maybe. But he did!

Djokovic is a 10-time Australian Open champion and has compiled an incredible 94-9 record during his career. Excluding his first three years on tour, the numbers were even more horrific, at 91 wins and 6 losses. No player has won more matches at the Australian Open than Djokovic, and no player has won more matches on Rod Laver Arena, with Tuesday's blockbuster showdown set to Do it there. There is an aura around Djokovic that his opponents feel every time he steps on the court.

The head-to-head record between the two also favors Djokovic in this quarterfinal. The Serbian star managed to turn things around after losing to Alcaraz twice in the pair's first three fights. He won three of the next four matches, including last summer's famous Olympic clay-court final at Roland Garros. Crucially, Djokovic and Alcaraz emerged victorious in both meetings on hard courts. These matches are taking place at the 2023 Cincinnati Masters and the ATP Finals later that same year.

After dropping sets in both the first and second rounds of the tournament, Djokovic looked to be finding his groove again. He has won eight straight sets, displaying ferocious groundstrokes and signature defense en route to the quarterfinals.

"I'm really happy to beat (Thomas) Mahek and (Giri) Lehka in straight sets, it encourages me to believe that when I feel my best, I can really beat any opponent." Djokovic Kovic said after his fourth-round win. "I like the way I'm playing and how I've felt in the last few games. I'm excited for (Alcaraz)'s challenge."

Alcaraz's serve was rebuilt this past offseason in an effort to make the action more fluid and thus find accuracy with more consistency, but it also seemed a little questionable. He made 15 double faults in four games and had a first-server success rate of only 62%. That puts him 69th in first-serve accuracy in this year's competition. If Alcaraz continues to fight with his serve, it will give an advantage to Djokovic, the greatest returner the game has ever seen.

But perhaps the biggest reason suggesting Djokovic will overcome his younger rivals and reach the Final Four is the history he plays for. Another Grand Slam title - a 25th - would break his tie with Margaret Court for the most major career singles wins. If he wants to win another Grand Slam title, he will become the oldest man ever to lift a Grand Slam trophy.

Why Carlos Alcaraz will beat Novak Djokovic

There is no shortage of factors working in Alcaraz's favor ahead of the quarterfinals. But what's most obvious is his age and freshness.

At 21, Alcaraz is 16 years younger than Djokovic and his youthful legs should put him in good stead against the king of Melbourne Park. Not only that, Alcaraz's playing time in the first four rounds was significantly reduced: 7 hours and 45 minutes, while Djokovic's playing time was 11 hours.

Djokovic may have an eye-popping record at the Australian Open, but he doesn't look like he used to when it comes to this year's tournament. Perhaps you could say that his age always showed through. At various stages, Djokovic has struggled with respiratory issues and has struggled to move around the court with his usual enthusiasm, although he has improved in his last two games. That statement almost sounds wrong, given the physical prowess and mental fortitude that have defined his celebrated career, but the longer the match goes on, the more Djokovic is at a disadvantage.

Alcaraz has proven he has what it takes to beat Djokovic on tennis' biggest stage. The ominous thing for Djokovic is that Alcaraz is definitely getting better.

The Spaniard has been hitting the ball harder and more aggressively in Melbourne these two weeks than he did 12 months ago. Championship data shows he sacrificed about 4 percent of topspin on his forehand in exchange for more speed, with those shots now generating an average of an extra 3 kilometers per hour (1.9 mph). As a result, he hit the most winners in the tournament and had the second-highest percentage of winners in terms of points played. If he can get ahead on serve, he will be difficult to overcome.

"Facing Novak, it's not going to change anything for me. I'm going to approach the fight the same way I fought him before," Alcaraz said after his fourth-round matchup with Jack Draper. "I know my weapons. I know I can play good tennis against him and I can beat him. That's what I'm thinking about when I face him."

Djokovic isn't the only historical figure concerned about Tuesday's win. Alcaraz is just three wins away from claiming the only major title that has eluded him in his young career. If he wins the Australian Open, he will become the ninth man in history to complete a career Grand Slam, but at the age of 21 years, 8 months and 19 days, he will be the youngest to achieve this feat. people.

who will win

Playing against Djokovic at the Australian Open is tough, but there's a feeling we're firmly entering the era of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. This will be the highlight of the tournament, with Alcaraz winning five epic games.