New serve takes Carlos Alcaraz far at the Australian Open. The Spaniard’s new motion has caught attention for its striking resemblance to Novak Djokovic’s. The two pros have shared a laugh about it, with Nole joking he wants copyrights over the serve and Carlos teasing that there’s a contract waiting to be signed. They’re clearly having fun with it. But when the jokes fade, Alcaraz turns serious.

After his 7-6(6), 6-4, 7-5 win over Tommy Paul in the fourth round of the Australian Open, Alcaraz joined the press conference with his usual wit. Alongside the banter, one reporter asked what makes Djokovic’s serve so special. As someone who has both studied and faced that delivery, the 22‑year‑old knew exactly what to say.

“For him, he doesn’t hit the fastest serve, but it’s super accurate,” Carlos Alcaraz admitted, “Like, you cannot read it. It’s really, really difficult to read, and it’s really close to the lines. His ball is a sleeper when it touches the ground. So yeah, as I said, it’s really difficult to see it and to return it. That’s what makes his serve a really good one. But it’s not the fastest one, so you’ve got to go for precision more than speed.”

Looking at the recent stats and the numbers tell the story too. Djokovic, who has played just three matches at the Australian Open this year, has averaged more aces per match, landed a slightly higher first‑serve percentage, won more points behind it, and faced fewer breaks. Compare that with Carlos’ new motion and the results look surprisingly close.

At the 2026 Australian Open, both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic turned the early rounds into a serving masterclass, but in two different styles. Carlos blasted 25 aces across four matches, averaging 6.25 per outing. Djokovic hammered 30 in three, a hefty 10 per match. Alcaraz kept a cleaner record with five double faults, just 1.25 per match. Djokovic, on the other hand, piled up ten (about 3.3 per match) showing his high‑risk, high‑reward approach.

The efficiency stats sharpen the contrast. Alcaraz landed 68% of first serves and won 74.5% of those points. Djokovic matched that consistency and raised the stakes, winning 85.3% behind a 68.3% first‑serve rate. On second serve, the Spaniard held a narrow edge, winning 61.75% to the Serb’s 61.3%. Both proved tough to break, Alcaraz lost serve five times across four matches, averaging 1.25 per match, while Novak surrendered only three breaks, one per match.

Through it all, both stars have handled the buzz about their identical movements with charm and humor.

Carlos Alcaraz reveals what Nole messaged him

Alcaraz had fans laughing after his victory over Tommy Paul when Jim Courier brought up his serve during the on-court interview. Staying true to the running joke about the Serb’s “copyright claims,” Alcaraz decided to play along.

“Yeah, I heard that. I have the contract over there,” Alcaraz said. “But I haven’t seen him yet. It was funny because it was in the pre-season, and somebody came up with the movement. So, I wasn’t aware that it was really similar to Nole’s serve. But I just woke up one day, and I took out my phone. I had a Djokovic message: ‘Alright, you have to pay me for the serve.’”

His joke was a response to Nole’s earlier comments after the Serb had jokingly stirred the pot in his own press conference. When asked about the similarity in their serves, the 24-time Grand Slam champion couldn’t resist taking a playful jab at the Spaniard.

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“As soon as I saw it, I sent him a message. I said, we have to speak about the copyrights,” Djokovic laughed. “Then when I saw him here, I told him we have to talk about percentage of his winnings. Every ace I expect, you know, a tribute to me. Every ace that he makes here. Let’s see if he’s going to stick to the agreement.”

The back-and-forth between the two has become one of the lightest and funniest storylines of this year’s Australian Open. It’s clear both are enjoying the banter as much as the competition itself. And while their “serve saga” continues to entertain fans, the serious business on court is heating up fast at Melbourne Park.

Carlos Alcaraz now gears up to face Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals, while Djokovic advances without playing after Jakub Mensik retired before their match. Last year, the two met at the same stage, with Nole sending the Spaniard home.

The question now is: Will they overcome their next obstacles to possibly test the serves in a matchup against each other? Share your thoughts in the comments below!