Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz under-fire after they are being called out by..

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have come under fire on social media after it was confirmed they will meet in a mega-money clash on December 27th.

The two biggest names in men’s tennis will face off in Saudi Arabia, in what could be one of the most lucrative single tennis matches of all time.

Djokovic’s appearance fee to take part in a match like this would be in excess of $1million and Alcaraz might now expect a similar fee, with this match the one all tennis fans want to see right now.

The top two players in the men’s game have won all the big titles in 2023, with Djokovic confirming his status as the best player in the world with wins at the Australian Open, French Open and last month’s US Open.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz beat Djokovic in an epic Wimbledon final in July, as he confirmed he has what it takes to beat the Serbian maestro when it matters most.

The pair backed up that memorable contest on the Centre Court grass with an even more remarkable battle in the final of the Cincinnati Masters event, with Djokovic finding a way to win after both combatants were pushed to breaking point.

Now we will get a chance to watch another Djokovic vs Alcaraz match, with this exhibition match set to be played at the Kingdom Arena, which has a capacity for 40,000 fans.

The prospect of that many spectators watching the ultimate showdown in tennis right now could make this an epic event, but some social media users have criticised the pair for agreeing to play in Saudi Arabia.

The questionable human rights record of a state that is hostile to the LGBTQ+ community is often raised as a point of contention, yet the Saudis appear to be committed to breaking into the tennis world.

News of this high-profile event starring Djokovic and Alcaraz comes after Saudi Arabia bid to stage the 2023 WTA Finals, with tennis legend Chris Evert among those who objected to the plan. The tournament will now be staged in Mexico.

The ATP Next Gen Finals are moving to Jeddah this year and while the accusation of ‘sports washing’ is often thrown at Saudi authorities when they stage events like this, the players have to be tempted by the riches they are being offered.

Many of the biggest fights in boxing are now moving to Saudi Arabia and a host of top football talent including Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar have moved to the Saudi Pro League this year.

Djokovic and Alcaraz are not the only high-profile players competing in Saudi Arabia as Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus will also be playing in the tennis event at the Kingdom Arena the day before Djokovic and Alcaraz.

Jabeur has spoken about her eagerness to play in Saudi Arabia, as she believes her presence could be a catalyst for change.

“As an Arab player, I’d be very excited to be there,” said Jabeur, speaking at the US Open in New York.

“I am someone pushing for a change, pushing to give more and more opportunities, especially for women.

“I know in Saudi they’re changing things and they’re evolving. I’ve been there last year to give a speech and interview there. It was very nice meeting a lot of amazing women there. For me, I was trying to push to have tennis in Saudi.