Alcaraz powers past Djokovic to reach US Open final

US Open 2025

Dates: August 24 through September 7 in Flushing Meadows, New York

With a victory over Novak Djokovic, 38, Carlos Alcaraz made his youth count as he won another US Open title.

Alcaraz, 22, from Spain, won the first men’s semi-final on Friday 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 against 24-time major champion Djokovic, who had the same level of quality and energy.

Alcaraz’s margins were good in the first two sets, but the gap narrowed as Djokovic’s physical decline began in the third set.

Djokovic’s two weary double faults quickly gave his opponent a 3-1 lead and another teed up Alcaraz’s first match point, which Djokovic shot wide.

As Alcaraz waited for the seventh seed, Djokovic hung over the net before waving all corners of Arthur Ashe Stadium as he left.

In the final on Sunday, Alcaraz, the 2022 champion, will face either Jannik Sinner of Italy or Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada, the 25th seed.

Being in the final once more means a lot to me, Alcaraz said.

Djokovic has focused on upsetting the status quo throughout his entire career, which is undoubtedly his best career to date.

In the late 2000s, he first emerged as a force as a force to disband the duopoly between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Nearly 20 years later, Sinner and Alcaraz find themselves shackled out at the top of the men’s game.

Djokovic is still the third-best player in the world despite his advancing years and shorter schedule.

His qualities against Alcaraz were apparent in the form of a vintage backhand winner in the first set and the ball-striking that he used to win a 27-shot rally in the second.

In the end, Djokovic struggles to maintain his best form against Alcaraz and Sinner.

Alcaraz performed well and countered with aggressive groundstrokes early in the rally to overthrow Djokovic.

Although the former world number one has shown this year that he still has time to reach the semi-finals of all four majors, his 30 unforced errors demonstrates how preoccupied he is with Alcaraz and Sinner.

In the end, he will never accept that even when the odds are stacked against him, he will never accept that.

They’re just too talented, said Djokovic, and their playing is top-notch.

Everyone was wondering who would win the Slams for the second straight year before the season’s final major.

Alcaraz lost to Sinner in the final of this year’s final, which earned them back-to-back French Open titles and lifted the Wimbledon title last year. He has already set his sights on the New York showpiece without sacrificing a set.

In the opening match of the match, he broke Djokovic and threatened to lead by a double break before the Serbian fought his way out of the trouble.

Without engaging rallies and baseline errors, it wasn’t a classic game of tennis. Alcaraz never appeared to be relinquishing his position of authority.

Momentum changed, however, just like it did in their January Australian Open quarter-final.

Alcaraz led the first set in Melbourne, but Djokovic increased the intensity the next, and the result was a four-set defeat.

There was a slight sense of deja vu when Djokovic won the second set at Flushing Meadows by a score of 3-0. Alcaraz, however, was able to make adjustments both tactically and mentally this time.

Alcaraz casually flicked a cross-court forehand past Djokovic to bring up a break point that his deflated opponent had set for himself when they were 3-1 to tie the score at 30-30.

No one had any more break opportunities, which produced a tie-break in which Djokovic overcame a 4-1 deficit for 4-3 before losing the game.

Alcaraz had previously won the opening two sets in each of his 52 Grand Slam matches.