Ahead of his semi-final showdown with Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz declared: “I really want revenge.” And he got it. The 24-time Major winner beat Alcaraz when they met earlier this year in Australia and handed him a heartbreaking defeat in the Olympic gold medal match last summer.
But the world No. 2 finally earned his first win over Djokovic on a hard court, edging him out in straight sets in Flushing Meadows 6-4 7-6(4) 6-2 to advance to Sunday’s US Open final. Aged 38, Djokovic has reached the semi-finals of all four Majors this year. But he’s not gone any further, and the wait for an elusive 25th Grand Slam title goes on.
Coming into the semi-finals, Djokovic made it no secret that things were getting harder as he got older. On several occasions, he noted that his body would need to be right to compete with 22-year-old Alcaraz in a best-of-five set format.
Stepping onto Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday afternoon, Djokovic said he was “feeling alright” and expecting a very physical match – and it was.
The four-time former champion was broken in the opening game and could never get a real look at Alcaraz’s serve despite flashes of brilliance, as the Spaniard took the first set 6-4.
Djokovic got off to a much better start in set two, as Alcaraz’s concentration just dropped, and he made some costly mistakes to go down an early break as the fans tried to rally behind the Serbian superstar. It was just the second time Alcaraz got broken at this year’s US Open.
The No. 2 seed soon levelled the score, and they headed into a tiebreak, where Djokovic showed some of his vintage best to battle back from a double mini-break down.
Still, it wasn’t enough to unsettle Alcaraz, who hadn’t dropped a set coming into the semi-finals, and a missed backhand from Djokovic gave the Spaniard a two-set lead.
It was a long road back for 38-year-old Djokovic, who called the trainer and received treatment on his shoulder. His intensity started to drop, and a double fault handed Alcaraz a break at 3-1 in the third.
The No. 7 seed seemed to be going through the motions as two weeks’ worth of tennis started to take its toll, and he looked a step slower than his young rival.
Djokovic still managed to keep himself hot on Alcaraz’s heels, and some big serves got him out of another tough game. But he was visibly struggling.
“A heroic effort from Djokovic right now. It looks like everything is hurting. The ATP physio is loitering in the wings, waiting to see if he will get called back on,” Laura Robson said on Sky Sports.
Serving to stay in the match at 2-5, reality quickly set in for Djokovic. Another double fault handed Alcaraz a match point, and the four-time former champion missed a forehand, sending the Spaniard straight into Sunday’s final.
They shared a warm embrace at the net, and Djokovic lingered as he walked off Arthur Ashe Stadium, waving to the fans and making a heart with his hands. The tennis icon was applauded by staff as he walked down the tunnel, his Grand Slam season coming to an end with four semi-final defeats.
As for Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed is back into the US Open final for the first time since he won his maiden Grand Slam title here in 2022 as a teenager. He still hasn’t dropped a set. And he awaits Jannik Sinner or Felix Auger-Aliassime.