Rafael Nadal said he had “total respect” for arch-rival Novak Djokovic but predicted that his Spanish compatriot Carlos Alcaraz would win Sunday’s Australian Open final.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner, who will retire from tennis in 2024, is set to compete in the blockbuster title match in Melbourne.

Nadal, a two-time Australian Open champion himself, believes world No. 1 Alcaraz is the clear favorite, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the 38-year-old Djokovic pulls off an upset.

“I think Carlos is the favorite to win,” Nadal told the host. channel 9 Saturday.

“He’s young, he’s got energy, he’s in his prime. But I mean, Novak is Novak. He’s a very special player.

“I don’t know if Novak would have lost the final here. It’s always a challenge and he likes that challenge.

“(But) my favorite from my point of view is Carlos.”

I will talk about it separately. melbourne age According to the newspaper, Nadal said it was a “positive thing” that a player of Djokovic’s age could compete against Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic dominated the 24-year-old Sinner in a grueling five-set semi-final to reach his 11th Australian Open final. He has won all 10 of the past races.

“I really believe he’s here for a simple reason, because if there were no injuries, I would probably be playing here too,” said Nadal, who is a year older than Djokovic.

“If you want to do this and you’re not injured and you’re not mentally exhausted, why aren’t you here?

“I think this is a great example of commitment and resilience.

“So, Novak, for obvious reasons, he’s not in his prime, but he’s still very competitive at an age where it’s hard to be competitive. So my heart goes out to him.”

Djokovic is aiming to become the oldest player to win the Australian Open. It was won in 1972 by 37-year-old Ken Rosewall.

He is also aiming to surpass Margaret Court, who ultimately won a record 25th Grand Slam title and is also expected to watch at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.