Wimbledon is just days away from starting, and therefore practice around the grounds is already well underway.
As the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz had the privilege of being the first to begin his preparation on the pristine centre court, choosing Novak Djokovic as his sparring partner.
And, as an added bonus, we got to see the two mic’d up, and therefore heard every conversation they shared during that session.
The way in which these two legends struck the ball was so pure, and inside a near-empty arena, the noise was almost like a meditative practice as they exchanged forehands and backhands with minimal effort.
Poised to both challenge for the title, in less than a week they will briefly turn into mortal enemies once again.
But for now, the mutual respect is there for all to see.
What Novak Djokovic said about Carlos Alcaraz during their Wimbledon practice
Offering his thoughts on being one of the first to practice on this hallowed turf in 2025, Djokovic did not undersell the importance of the moment.
However, as humble as ever, he sought to thank Alcaraz for choosing him to join, as the two-time defending champion.
Asked how it feels to be back on centre court, the Serbian superstar simply stated: ‘The happiest that one can be, honestly.
‘It’s the most special tennis court in the world. We felt like, walking onto the court, seeing the fresh virgin grass, you almost feel bad playing on it because it’s so perfect aesthetically. It looks amazing.
‘We are privileged obviously to be the first ones to play. I am privileged because he is the defending champion so he has the right and I’m like a sparring partner today, it’s great. I’m glad he chose me.’
However, Alcaraz was not going to allow such adulation to go unreciprocated, as he replied: ‘Come on, talk seriously man! [laughs].’
‘I mean, he said he was privileged to play the first one because of me, because I was the defending champion but that was a big lie. The privilege is mine to play with a seven-time champion, it’s crazy what he has done here. Not only on grass but, it’s a privilege.’
Carlos Alcaraz’s 2025 Wimbledon draw released
Earlier this morning, the draw for the men’s and women’s singles tournament was made, with Alcaraz the number two seed.
As the two-time defending champion though, it was his run that most people rushed to view, keen to find out whether he would have to truly dig deep to retain his crown for a third straight year.
However, that is not the case.
Arguably, the Spaniard could not have been given a nicer route to the final, with Jack Draper, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner all on the other half of the draw.
Whilst those three contenders fight amongst themselves, Alcaraz only has the likes of Holger Rune, Andrey Rublev, Frances Tiafoe and Stefanos Tsitsipas to worry about, all of whom he would be expected to breeze past.
Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz are threats, but both, many would imagine, pale in comparison to the 22-year-old and would fail to trouble him significantly.
It’s remarkable how this compares with Jack Draper’s nightmare Wimbledon draw, as the British number one is projected to face a really tough third round opponent.
Alcaraz, therefore, has seen his status as the favourite for the Wimbledon title only increased with this morning’s announcement.
