WATCH: Novak Djokovic gives Carlos Alcaraz new nickname while sharing a laugh at Shanghai Masters, pulls his leg about spending too much time on court
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz crossed paths at the 2024 Shanghai Masters outside the court and had a heartwarming exchange. The Serb also gave the young Spaniard a new nickname.
Djokovic is playing his first tournament of the 2024 Asian swing at the Shanghai Masters. Meanwhile, Alcaraz arrived in Shanghai in great form after winning his fourth title of the year at the China Open. The duo, who has been part of some of the biggest matches in 2024, met at the Masters 1000 tournament and exchanged pleasantries.
Djokovic was all smiles as he approached Alcaraz and called the Spanish star "little titan." The nickname is a slight variation of the one the Serb gave Alcaraz at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. After their final at the SW19 this year, which Alcaraz won, the Spaniard revealed that the 24-time Grand Slam champion called him a "titan" during their customary handshake after the match.
The duo had a pleasant conversation, and the Serb joked about Alcaraz spending too much time on the court compared to him. Alcaraz has been playing nonstop on the tour in recent weeks. After his second-round exit at the US Open in late August, he represented his nation at the Davis Cup, competed at the Laver Cup, and won the China Open.
"But you're too much on the court, and I'm outside the court," the 37-year-old joked.
You can watch the entire exchange below:
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic begin Shanghai Masters campaign with straight sets wins
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have begun their Shanghai Masters campaigns without a hitch. Alcaraz, seeded third, received a first-round bye and got the better of Chinese star Shang Juncheng, 6-2, 6-2, in an hour and 17 minutes. The four-time Grand Slam champion reached the fourth round of the tournament last year.
Novak Djokovic, a four-time Shanghai Masters champion, is playing at the event for the first time since 2019 and is seeded fourth. The Serb was given a tough fight by Alex Michelsen in his opening contest and saved multiple set points in the second set en route to a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (9) win.
Alcaraz is set to face another homegrown player, Wu Yibing, in the third round in Shanghai. Meanwhile, the man from Belgrade, in search of his 100th ATP Tour title, will be up against either 28th seed Flavio Cobolli or old foe Stan Wawrinka in his third-round contest.