Alcaraz whips Djokovic to reach third straight Grand Slam final

NEW YORK (AP):

Carlos Alcaraz used his youth, athleticism and creativity to assert himself against the much more accomplished, but also much older, Novak Djokovic, and beat the 24-time major champion 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 at the US Open yesterday for a berth in his third consecutive Grand Slam final.

By the end, Djokovic was “gassed out”, as he described it afterwards, and seemed resigned to the result. The 38-year-old from Serbia reached the semi-finals at all four Slams this season, but exited in that round each time, three via losses to No. 2 Alcaraz, 22, or No. 1 Jannik Sinner, 24.

“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. “It comes with time and with age.”

Alcaraz will face either defending champion Sinner or No. 25 Felix Auger-Aliassime for the championship on Sunday, when President Donald Trump plans to attend. Sinner is trying to become the first repeat men’s champion in New York since Roger Federer won the hard-court tournament five years in a row from 2004 through 2008.

Alcaraz hasn’t dropped a set as he pursues his sixth major title and second at Flushing Meadows. He defeated Sinner at the French Open in June and lost to his rival at Wimbledon in July.

Go back to April and Alcaraz is 44-2, making it to the finals at each of his last eight tour-level events.

“It’s something that I’m working on, just the consistency on the matches, on the tournaments, on the year, in general. Just not having up-and-downs in (a) match,” Alcaraz said. “Probably, I’m just getting mature, just getting to know myself much better, what I need on, off the court.”

Alcaraz had lost his two most recent matches against Djokovic – in the gold-medal final at the Paris Olympics last year, and in the Australian Open quarter-finals this January.

LEGEND

“It’s not easy playing against him, to be honest,” Alcaraz said. “I’m thinking about the legend; what he has achieved in his career. It’s difficult not to think about it.”

Djokovic’s bid to become the first player in the sport’s history to get Slam No. 25 was blocked again, and he thinks part of the issue is trying to overcome much younger men in best-of-five set matches.

“I still want to play ... (a) full Grand Slam season next year,” Djokovic said. “Let’s see whether that’s going to happen or not, but ... Slams are Slams. They are just different from any other tournament. They are the pillars of our sport, the most important tournaments we have. But I do fancy my chances a bit more in best-of-three.”

Alcaraz and Sinner 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.

Djokovic’s shots were not quite on-target early and, but for a brief interlude in the second set, his usual verve was not present. He rolled his eyes after one miss, grimaced after another. At changeovers, he flexed or stretched his neck, which bothered him earlier in the tournament, and also was looked at by a trainer.

There also was the occasional bit of brilliance, including a two-handed backhand passing shot that drew raucous roars from the crowd, which often cried out his nickname, “No-le!” and seemed to want to will him to at least make things more competitive, if not win.