Watch: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz train together in MC

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The sun hung low over the picturesque cliffs of Monte Carlo, casting a golden glow across the clay courts where two titans of tennis collided—not in competition, but in camaraderie. On a crisp Sunday morning in early April 2025, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, two of the sport’s brightest stars, took to the practice courts at the Monte Carlo Country Club, offering fans a tantalizing glimpse of their preparation for the upcoming Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. This wasn’t a high-stakes showdown but a rare, relaxed training session that blended rivalry with respect, showcasing the mutual admiration between a veteran champion and a rising phenom.

Djokovic, the Serbian maestro with 24 Grand Slam titles to his name, and Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Spaniard who’s already notched four Majors, including last year’s Roland Garros crown, represent different eras of tennis greatness. Yet, as they traded forehands and backhands under the Mediterranean sky, their synergy was undeniable. The session, which stretched over an hour and a half, wasn’t just about fine-tuning their games—it was a spectacle of laughter, shared brilliance, and a subtle passing of the torch. For Djokovic, a two-time Monte Carlo champion, this clay court haven is practically a second home; he’s lived in the Principality for years, training on these very courts. For Alcaraz, it’s a proving ground where he’s still seeking his first deep run, having stumbled in his debut here three years ago.

The practice wasn’t all light-hearted banter—there was serious work afoot. The pair played a practice set that kept onlookers on edge, with Alcaraz surging to a 4-2 lead, only for Djokovic to claw back three straight games, leveling the score at 5-4 before they called it quits. “They didn’t finish it,” one observer noted, hinting at the competitive fire simmering beneath their friendly exchange. Djokovic’s precision and Alcaraz’s explosive power were on full display, a preview of what could unfold if they meet in the tournament’s later stages. Drawn in opposite halves of the Monte Carlo draw, the earliest they could clash is the final—a prospect that has fans salivating.

Djokovic, fresh off a runner-up finish in Miami where he fell to Jakub Mensik in a tight final, is chasing his 100th career title this week. At 37, he’s defying time, his movement as fluid as ever on the clay he’s mastered over decades. “I found joy in my performance there,” he said of Miami, adding that it’s fueled his inspiration to keep pushing. Monte Carlo holds special significance for him—he won it in 2013 and 2015, toppling Rafael Nadal in the former to end the Spaniard’s eight-year reign. This time, he’s flanked by his brother Marko as a stand-in coach, with Andy Murray, his usual mentor, set to rejoin him in Madrid. “Marko helps me on a different level emotionally,” Djokovic shared, underscoring the personal stakes of this campaign.

For Alcaraz, the clay season is a homecoming of sorts. Eight of his 16 titles have come on this surface, and after a mixed start to 2025—highlighted by Rotterdam glory but tempered by a Miami stumble—he’s eager to reassert his dominance. His team has tweaked his Babolat racket, adding weight to amplify his forehand’s venom, and he’s smoothed out his serve to cut down on last year’s double-fault woes. “It’s an extra help in the stroke,” his coach remarked, hinting at the firepower Alcaraz will unleash in his opener against either Fabio Fognini or Francisco Cerundolo.

The Monte Carlo Masters, kicking off its main draw on April 6, 2025, is the first clay-court Masters 1000 event of the season, and the absence of Jannik Sinner, still sidelined by a doping ban, elevates the stakes for both men. Djokovic could face Stan Wawrinka, a three-time Grand Slam champ, in his second round, while Alcaraz’s path includes potential clashes with Andrey Rublev or Casper Ruud. Yet, as they traded shots and smiles on Sunday, the focus wasn’t on the draw—it was on the moment. Fans watching the livestream buzzed with excitement, one calling it “a moment you must see,” while another marveled at how “they shared laughs and moments of brilliance.”

This training session was more than a warm-up; it was a bridge between generations, a testament to tennis’s enduring appeal. As the clay season unfolds, Djokovic and Alcaraz will carry this energy forward, each aiming to etch their name deeper into the sport’s storied history—one rally at a time.

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