Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick offered his candid take on the ongoing debate about the similarities in the service techniques of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. Since the start of 2026, this has been a hot topic among fans and analysts, with debate over whether the duo’s serving mechanisms are similar.
On the latest episode of the “Served” podcast, Roddick shared his honest view, saying that while the two players’ starting positions in the motion may look similar, their foot positioning differs; therefore, it would be wrong to say that Alcaraz has copied Djokovic’s entire mechanism.
“The comparison isn’t fair. Novak serves with both feet; he’s a ‘platform’ server, and Alcaraz isn’t, so it’s not accurate. Maybe the starting point to reach the hitting position is similar to Novak’s, but the foot positions are completely different,” Roddick said.
Fans took notice of the stark change in Alcaraz’s serve during his first practice session of the year in Murcia. Everyone quickly began commenting on how similar it was to Djokovic’s serve. Both players have commented on the comparisons, taking a hilarious tone during press conferences and on-court interviews at the Australian Open.
What Did Novak Djokovic Have to Say About Carlos Alcaraz’s Serve?
As soon as Alcaraz’s new serve went viral on social media, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was asked for his comment at a press conference in Melbourne last month.
“As soon as I saw Carlos’ serve, I sent him a message. Every ace he hits, I expect a tribute to me. Let’s see if he’s going to stick to the agreement,” the Serb jokingly replied to a journalist’s question.
The duo battled it out for the title in the Australian Open final on February 1, where the current World No. 1 defeated the veteran in four sets to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.
Now, Djokovic and Alcaraz, alongside other top seeds, have traveled to California, where they begin preparations for the Indian Wells Open (Masters 1000), which starts on March 4.
Also read:
Jannik Sinner At Indian Wells: Missing Coach & Secret California Training For World No. 2 Revealed
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