Carlos Alcaraz could face Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. The Spaniard, who secured the quarterfinal berth after Jack Draper‘s retirement, is now waiting for the winner of the fourth-round match between Djokovic and Jiri Lehecka.

The 21-year-old was 7-5, 6-1 in the fourth round when the Brit, who played three five-set matches in the previous rounds, was forced to withdraw due to an injury. Alcaraz will now be preparing for a potential eighth clash with Djokovic.

Alcaraz has met Lehecka once, in the last 16 of the 2023 Queen’s Club Championships, and won that match before reaching the final and winning the tournament. While Lehecka has never advanced to a Major semifinal, Djokovic, the 10-time Australian Open champion, is chasing his 25th Major and also his first Major since the 2023 US Open.

Although the four-time Grand Slam champion defeated Djokovic in their last tour-level meeting in the 2024 Wimbledon final, it was the Serb who came out on top in straight sets when they met in the 2024 Paris Olympics final.

Carlos Alcaraz is bidding to become the youngest man to accomplish the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open. He lifted the 2022 US Open, 2023 & 2024 Wimbledon, and 2024 French Open trophies, but has never progressed to the semifinal at Melbourne Park.

He withdrew from the tournament due to an injury in 2023. Last year, current World No.2 Alexander Zverev beat him in four sets in the last eight.

Alcaraz has reached the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam event for the 10th time, equaling the record for most Major quarterfinal appearances by a man aged 21 or under in the Open Era.