TALKING TACTICS: THREE KEYS FOR DJOKOVIC TO CHALLENGE ALCARAZ

When the men's draw was set, there was one quarter-final matchup the tennis world craved.

And on Tuesday night, that dream will come to fruition as 37-year-old Novak Djokovic and 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz prepare to meet for the eighth time.

The pair will vie for a place in the Australian Open semi-finals, with Alcaraz seeking his maiden final-four appearance at Melbourne Park, while Djokovic bids for his 12th.

Yet, the 21-year-old Spaniard will enter the clash as the favourite, and rightly so, having defeated Djokovic in their past two Grand Slam encounters.

For Djokovic, the underdog tag is an unfamiliar one at Melbourne Park, having started as the odds-on favourite in his past 79 Australian Open matches, dating back to the 2011 semi-final against Roger Federer.

But it's a tag that he will undoubtedly relish.

Djokovic thrives on being written off. We saw it at the Paris Olympics, where few gave him a chance, just before he wore the elusive gold medal around his neck to all but complete the sport of tennis.

And that Paris battle in August remains the pair's most recent meeting; a straight sets triumph which will give Djokovic a great deal of confidence.

But while the 37-year-old was victorious in Paris, as well as in their previous two hard-court meetings, the challenge grows significantly at majors, where beating Alcaraz becomes the toughest assignment in tennis.

ALCARAZ vs DJOKOVIC - THEIR GRAND SLAM HISTORY:

The past three Grand Slam matches between the pair have illustrated that this duel is played on the Alcaraz racquet, at least over best-of-five sets.

Their first major meeting at Roland Garros in 2023 saw Djokovic triumph, but against a cramping Alcaraz, where the Serbian seized control after splitting the opening two sets.

The contest remains an anomaly in Alcaraz's remarkable best-of-five record, having won 22 of his past 23 'Slam' matches from a one-set all scenario.

That meeting on Chatrier was followed by a Centre Court clash in the Wimbledon final; a contest where Djokovic, in stronger form than he currently is, played near his best tennis and still couldn't take three sets off a 20-year-old 'Carlitos'.

And that leads us to the most recent Wimbledon final, where - despite a knee concern -Djokovic's level was inferior to the year prior and he was made to pay, as Alcaraz rioted through the opening two sets dropping just four games.

So, conquering the 21-year-old will take an almighty effort, but there are ways in which Djokovic can give himself the best opportunity.

THREE KEYS FOR DJOKOVIC

Djokovic knows Rod Laver Arena and this stage of Grand Slams as well as anyone.

He's won 16 of his past 17 completed major quarterfinals and has the experience and know-how in this situation.

But as we've seen against the phenomenal duo of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, experience will only take him so far.

So how can Djokovic take the match away from Alcaraz?

1) Start Well

The most critical element tonight is the first hour.

Djokovic cannot afford a long, five-set clash with a fresh Alcaraz, who has played just 12 sets for the tournament after an early retirement from Jack Draper in the fourth round.

The likelihood is: Alcaraz could come back from a set down - or maybe even two - but 37-year-old Djokovic will be in a deep hole if he gets caught behind.

2) Neutralise Effectively

When he plays disciplined tennis, Alcaraz becomes virtually unplayable, but his need to entertain and showcase his many weapons, can, at times, create inconsistency.

The Serbian will need to counter Alcaraz's power, particularly from his forehand side , by neutralising his aggressive groundstrokes and pressuring the Spaniard into overhitting.

This extends to keeping the rallies relatively central, thus diminishing Alcaraz's ability to utilise the entire court and exploit angles; a strategy which he thrives on.

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If executed effectively, Djokovic may be able to take Alcaraz out of rhythm and create dips in his level which are still not uncommon for the four-time major champion.

At the same time, Alcaraz will be acutely aware of his need to remain disciplined and patiently select which balls to attack.

3) Nail the Key Moments

Should Djokovic be able to stay with Alcaraz and create significant points and moments late in sets, we know he is capable of rising his level when it is most required.

This will mean serving big and hitting his spots under pressure, when facing break points, and seizing any glimpses he is able to create on the Alcaraz service games.

In addition, Djokovic will be content with forcing sets to tiebreaks where he is historically one of the greatest ever.

Having taken both tiebreak sets in Paris, 7-3 and 7-2, as well as their two hard court tiebreaks in Cincinnatti (2023), Djokovic will know that such a scenario gives him a relative edge.

Ultimately, Djokovic will need to capitalise on his chances from the outset and lead from the jump if he is to have a chance of reclaiming his Melbourne Park throne.

Author's prediction - Alcaraz in four.

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