Djokovic Teases Alcaraz: 'I Expect Him to Pay Tribute After Every Ace!'

Djokovic Jokes About Alcaraz's Service Change, Demands 'Royalties' in Lighthearted Exchange

© AFP

Jules Hypolite

le 19/01/2026 à 18h25

1 min to read

Alcaraz Carlos Djokovic Novak

Since the start of the season, Carlos Alcaraz has slightly modified his serve, now adopting a grip and overall motion that closely resemble those of Novak Djokovic.

Asked about it in a press conference a few days ago, the world No. 1 insisted he was 'not copying' the Serb's serve. On Monday, Djokovic addressed the topic with humor.

'I Expect Him to Pay Tribute After Every Ace'

'As soon as I saw his serve, I sent him a message saying: 'You know, we need to discuss copyright.' Then, when I ran into him here, I joked that we should also talk about a percentage of the earnings. After every ace, I expect him to pay tribute. We'll see if he honors our agreement.'