Carlos Alcaraz just too much for the aging Novak Djokovic in U.S. Open semifinal
Carlos Alcaraz reacts after defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2, in a men’s semifinal match at the U.S. Open on Friday in Flushing Meadows. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
We got used to Novak Djokovic being the ultimate interloper.
At the start of his career, he got in the way of the Roger Federer/Rafael Nadal matchup we all wanted to see. And for a while, nearing the end of his remarkable career, he has stuck around long enough to mess with a new pair of superstars.
In the process, Djokovic has earned the heart of tennis fans, which was evident Friday at the U.S. Open as fans cheered for the 38-year-old Serbian even as he ran out of gas and lost in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2, to 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz’ victory set up the much-anticipated showdown between the No. 2-seeded Spaniard and No. 1-seeded Jannik Sinner, who won a well-contested semifinal match Friday night against No. 25 Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
It’s a championship match so highly anticipated that President Donald Trump is expected to attend, marking the first time a sitting U.S. president has attended since President Bill Clinton attended the women’s final in 2000.
Alcaraz’ victory also appears to have signaled the end of an era as Djokovic declared in his post-match press conference that he no longer has what it takes to beat Alcaraz or Sinner in a best-of-five set Grand Slam tournament.
“I lost three out of four slams in semis against these guys, so they’re just too good, you know, playing on a really high level,” said Djokovic, who lost to Alexander Zverev in the semifinal of the Australian Open, Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and now Alcaraz here.
“I can do only as much as I can do. Yeah, it will be very difficult for me in the future to overcome the hurdle of Sinner, Alcaraz, in the best-of-five on the Grand Slams. I think I have a better chance best-of-three, but best-of-five, it’s tough.”
Alcaraz, 22, and Sinner, 24, have combined to collect the past seven major championships and nine of the last 12. Djokovic won the other three in that span, most recently at the 2023 U.S. Open.
Alcaraz has now reached eight consecutive finals and three consecutive Grand Slam Finals. He is the third youngest man int eh open era to play in seven Grand Slam finals, behind only Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal
The win was a significant achievement for Alcaraz, who wasn’t playing his best tennis. Alcaraz has not lost a set the entire tournament. When he won the second set Friday with a 7-4 tiebreak, it marked the only the second time he has played a tiebreaker all tournament. Winning the tiebreak also just seemed to crush Djokovic’s will to win as the final set just seemed like a formality.
Fans were chanting Novak’s name almost as if they were aware that this might be the last time the see him near the peak of his powers. It was a strange contrast to the hostile way Novak was treated here for a good part of his career. As Novak left the court, he turned and made a heart with his fingers.
Djokovic is the greatest men’s player of the modern era having won 24 Grand Slams. The win was Alcaraz’ first over Djokovic on a hardcourt surface. In a quarterfinal of the Australian Open this past January, Alcaraz appeared to have Djokovic on the ropes after the Serbian lost the first set when he suffered a hamstring injury. Fueled by both adrenalin and painkillers, Djokovic bounced back to win the match in four sets.
“It’s impressive what he has done this year in the slams, reaching the semifinal in every slam, challenging the next generation,” Alcaraz said. “Challenging us the way he’s doing, it’s impressive. I told him always he looks like he’s 25 years old physically, so to maintain that level at 38, it’s impressive.”
Djokovic may look 25, but he certainly doesn’t feel it, a point he has hammered home all the way through his run to the semifinals. After the loss Friday, Djokovic seemed to accept that he might never be able to get past the two players who are now the future of tennis.
“it’s frustrating on the court when you are not able to keep up with that level physically, but at the same time, it’s something also expected, I guess,” Djokovic said. “I’m not giving up on Grand Slams in that regard, having said that. I’m going to continue fighting and trying to get to the finals and fight for another trophy at least.
“But, you know, it’s going to be a very difficult task.”
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
