Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz Square Up In Australian Open Blockbuster

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz face off in a duel for the ages Tuesday as the old and new of tennis go on full display when the Australian Open hits the quarter-final stage. In the women's draw, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff can set up a blockbuster semi-final with last-eight victories. Alcaraz, 21, and Djokovic, 37, will meet at this stage of a Grand Slam for the first time in a heavyweight late-night clash on Rod Laver Arena.

Djokovic is looking for his 100th tournament title and a record 25th Grand Slam crown.

He refused to do a routine on-court interview on Sunday in protest at a TV presenter with host broadcaster Channel Nine, who he accused of "insulting and offensive comments".

Djokovic has a 4-3 edge in matches with Alcaraz and beat the Spaniard in the Paris Olympics final in their last meeting.

But Alcaraz won their last two Slam encounters, the 2023 and 2024 Wimbledon finals, and is already a four-time major winner.

He has never gone beyond the Australian Open quarter-finals however.

Djokovic said he was expecting a "big battle" against the heir to Spanish legend Rafael Nadal.

"We had some long battles, long exchanges. The kind of matches that I played against him remind me of my match-ups versus Nadal in terms of the intensity and the energy on the court," said the Serb.

Alcaraz is wary that there is still life in the old dog Djokovic yet, on the veteran's favourite court where he has lifted the trophy 10 times.

"When we are seeing him playing, he seems like he's young again, it's unbelievable. He's in really good shape," said Alcaraz.

Women's world number one Sabalenka plays Russian veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who at 33 is enjoying a late-career renaissance and is the oldest