Novak Djokovic talks Indian Wells golf outing with Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev

Novak Djokovic revealed his on-court rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz didn’t quite extend to the golf greens—though not for lack of trying.

“It was my first time to play with those guys,” Djokovic explained of a golf outing with Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. “It was fun, a lot of laughter, a lot of mind games. But it was good.”

Djokovic was fresh off a three-set victory over Aleksandar Kovacovic—an American with Serbian roots—to reach the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open for the first time 2017. Speaking with Prakash Amritraj at the BMW Tennis Channel Desk, the former world No. 1 was relieved to admit he’s much closer to Alcaraz in tennis than golf.

“I don’t play as much as I used to,” caveated Djokovic, who fell just short of the 2026 Australian Open title, losing to Alcaraz in the final. “But the guys are good. I think Alcaraz is on his way.

“I show up and the guy rips a 300-yard drive, par five, and he’s going for his eagle. I’m like, ‘Is there anything you’re not good at, man?’ What’s going on here, it’s like raw power. He loves his golf.

“It was nice to spend time with these guys. We’re all big rivals but it’s nice we get along well, can play other sports and spend some good time off the court.”

Djokovic has enjoyed a veritable sports in 2026, watching NBA basketball and UCLA football after a February trip to watch the Winter Olympics in Milan.

“We’re currently living in Athens, in Greece, and there’s not much ice there,” joked Djokovic, whose 8-year-old daughter Tara has expressed interest in figure skating. “I was really blown away by how inspired she was and by watching the great athletes on that rink live for the first time. It’s a beautiful sport to watch on TV, but in person, it’s incredible.”

With tennis still very much Djokovic’s priority, the 38-year-old has made use of technology to maintain his physicality through what can be a tricky part of the season, and though he joked the biggest gift would be “getting back the years,” the No. 3 seed is optimistic about his form as he closes in on a potential 78th Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

“I’m trying to manage my body, my mental state on a daily basis so I can be peaking as much as I possibly can. There’s a challenge, an obstacle across the net of who you get to play, and that’s not going to get easier from here. The opponents are only going to get tougher,” said Djokovic, who will next face defending champion Jack Draper.

“I love the challenge. That’s the biggest reason why I’m still here and competing with these young guys. I want to see how they beat me…if they can!”