WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in traditional Arab outfits; join Stefanos Tsitsipas & Grigor Dimitrov for a camel-mounted tennis experience

On Sunday, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Grigor Dimitrov were selected to open the Qatar Open 2025 in a Middle Eastern venue, shocking the tennis world with an unexpected crossover. Tennis fans worldwide admired the players as they played a game of tennis while mounted on camels and dressed in traditional Arab garb.

The launch ceremony was held in the Arabian Peninsula, a breathtaking desert that served as the setting for this historic gathering. Tennis great Novak Djokovic and Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz looked majestic in traditional Middle Eastern attire. Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas also joined in the fun, sitting on camels and exchanging shots.

All four of the players appeared to embrace the unusual environment, fusing their passion for tennis with an understanding of local fans. Following a montage of the players rallying on the desert court, Qatar Tennis shared a video on their Instagram story that showed all of the players riding camels like pros. For the players, the inaugural ceremony provided a welcome respite from the competitive court environment, allowing them to connect with other players on the tour.

Watch the video here:

So Alcaraz, Djokovic, Tsitsipas and Dimitrov played tennis while sitting on camels in Doha. You can't make this up. pic.twitter.com/E4hVBkCZ0x

— carlosalcarazfans (@alcarazgirlies) February 16, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz may face Novak Djokovic in tournament

With a No. 1 seed, Carlos Alcaraz will take on Marin Cilic to start his campaign. The prospect of facing No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals is a formidable obstacle for him. The Serbian withdrew from the Australian Open semifinals due to injury after Alcaraz lost to Djokovic in the quarterfinals. Later Novak Djokovic had to opt out due to a knee injury as he couldn’t complete the match. "I hope to add more than one Grand Slam to my growing trophy collection," Alcaraz said after missing out on the Australian Open title.

Novak Djokovic will team up with Fernando Verdasco in the ATP final event of his career. They will face Karen Khachanov and Alexandar Bublik in the first round which will start from 17^th Feb. However, fans are hoping to see this clash as the tournament will feature players who have extraordinary skills and passion. In the later stage of the game, fans may see Novak Djokovic facing Carlos Alcaraz.