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ATP world No 1 Novak Djokovic and WTA’s top-ranked player Aryna Sabalenka have signed up to play at the Riyadh Tennis Season Cup along with Carlos Alcaraz and Ons Jabeur. On Thursday, the Riyadh Tennis Tennis Season Cup organizers confirmed four major tennis names in their 2023 lineup.
The Saudi exhibition is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, between December 26-27. For all the players, it will be a chance to get some action and additional preparation just before the start of the 2024 season. Considering the fact that the four confirmed players are absolute tennis stars, the exhibition will undoubtedly draw lots of attention.
Djokovic and Alcaraz likely to play against each other in Riyadh
In the absence of Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Alcaraz created a new big tennis rivalry. This season, Djokovic and Alcaraz battled against each other for the Grand Slam titles and their battle for the Year-End No 1 is still on.
In recent weeks, Alcaraz has been very openly speaking about his desire to beat out Djokovic for the Year-End No 1 award. In one of his interviews, Alcaraz admitted that Djokovic is on his mind every time he hits the practice court.
“Almost in every practice. I’m not going to lie. I practice with a goal, I go to the tournaments with a goal. It’s trying to end the year as No 1 so Novak Djokovic is around my mind almost in every practice,” Alcaraz said.
In the offseason, we could see another Djokovic and Alcaraz match in Saudi Arabia. For the organizers, that will certainly be the goal because Djokovic and Alcaraz are currently the two best players in men’s tennis. Although it would be just an exhibition, there is no doubt that Djokovic and Alcaraz would still be looking to clinch a win and make a statement before the start of the 2024 season.
Meanwhile, the tournament will likely announce more big names in the upcoming period. But for now, it’s already a very star-studded player field that includes some of the very best players in the game.
