Novak Djokovic stunned by Alcaraz's golf skills, strange arm injury appears

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev recently played a relaxed round of golf together in Indian Wells. All three stars also smoothly advanced to the fourth round of the Paris Bank Open men's singles—Alcaraz defeated Lindeknecht, Djokovic beat Kovacevic in the third round. Meanwhile, Zverev held off pressure in a tight match, defeating Brandon Nakashima 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-4.

Djokovic was particularly impressed by Alcaraz's performance on the golf course. The Serbian player remarked that the Spaniard quickly took control during this friendly match, "This was my first time playing with both of them. It was fun, lots of laughter, and plenty of mental games. It felt great. I don't play as much now, but they are both very good. I think Alcaraz has a bright future."

Djokovic said, "As soon as I stepped onto the course, he drove a 300-yard shot on a par-five hole. I thought: brother, what aren't you good at? It's like natural power. He loves golf. Spending this time with them was wonderful. We are fierce rivals on court, but privately we get along well; it's nice to play other sports together and relax properly off the field."

Djokovic has always shown strong interest in sports beyond tennis, frequently appearing at various global sporting events; Alcaraz and Zverev have only recently started trying golf, and the two were also photographed playing together during a Laver Cup event.

Djokovic and Alcaraz are both in the upper half of the Indian Wells Masters men's singles draw; if they win their next two rounds respectively, they will meet in the semifinals. Zverev is in the lower half; if this German player advances to the quarterfinals, he is likely to face Sinner.

The 38-year-old Djokovic remains in fiery form. Earlier this year, he was just one step away from the Australian Open title, losing in the final to Alcaraz. Djokovic revealed some details about his preparation and the motivation driving him to continue competing on the tour, also acknowledging the fierce competition brought by the new generation. "Every day I work hard to manage my physical and mental condition, striving to keep myself at peak level. Every opponent across the net is a challenge, an obstacle; it will only get harder from here, and opponents will only get stronger."

The former world No. 1 will next face Draper, against whom he holds a 1–0 record. "I love challenges. That's the main reason I'm still here, competing with these young players. I'd like to see how they try to beat me," Djokovic added.

After reaching the fourth round, Djokovic admitted he has been dealing with a "strange" injury issue in his right forearm. The five-time tournament champion played three-set matches in his first two rounds of this event and has been wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm during earlier rounds. Despite physical concerns, the 38-year-old Serbian veteran continues to adjust and cope on court.

"My forearm has been uncomfortable for the past few weeks, and I've been trying to push through," Djokovic said in an interview after his third-round win. "The situation is a bit odd: the more I serve, the better it feels, but once my body cools down, the pain comes and goes."

"If I haven't served for five or six minutes, the first few serves in that game will be somewhat painful. I'm actively recovering. This isn't the first time I've faced such a situation; tennis players at this level always experience various physical ups and downs. But overall, my physical condition is okay, and I hope it improves day by day."Source: Tennis Home Author Spark