In their bid for greatness, the men’s singles inaugural semifinal match will feature two forces representing different generations, world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic.
On the line for the Spaniard is the chance to keep alive his quest to regain the US Open crown as well as the world No. 1.
Meanwhile, at age 38, Djokovic is chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows.
One of the best athletes of all time is exactly where he wants to be, earning his shot to face one of the two top forces dominating a new era of tennis, Alcaraz, on the world’s biggest tennis stage, the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The other semifinal will see title defender and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner squaring off against 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
In common, all of them have reached the last four in New York before.
Greatness Reloaded
En route to his 53rd Grand Slam semifinal, the most by any player in the Open Era, Djokovic overpowered 2024 runner-up Taylor Fritz, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, his longest match (three hours, 24 minutes) in five encounters played, spending 13 hours on court overall.
It’s no secret that the third-oldest US Open men’s semifinalist in the Open Era has faced physical challenges throughout his run, openly addressing the toll age takes on his body.
“The wear and tear on the body all these years is taking a toll, and I’m aware of it, but I’m resisting it,” asserted the Serbian in his third-round post-match press conference.
“I’m trying to do my best to still be out there, competing with the young guys at the highest level.”
Aware that physical issues have been a constant this season, halting his intentions to go deep in the Grand Slam tournaments (achieving the semifinals at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and Roland-Garros), his motivation is unshaken.
“I want to keep pushing myself to see whether I can have a shot at another slam or any big tournaments,” he further stressed.
As Theodore Roosevelt said: “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…
Last year, the former world No. 7 showcased the remarkable resilience of a man who does not understand the meaning of giving up, someone determined to put in the hard work needed to defy the odds and succeed.
In 2024, it was common knowledge that becoming an Olympic gold medalist was his maiden goal that season, a lifetime dream he hadn’t been able to fulfill by then.
In the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, the Belgrade-born was contesting the French Open when he sustained an injury in his right knee.
As a result, he withdrew from the major quarterfinals, and after undergoing surgery, the recovery process began, a race against time.
The injury occurred ahead of a competition running on a four-year cycle, and at the age of 37, the task of recovering in time seemed like a plot written for a Mission Impossible movie.
Fully committed and driven, his efforts alongside his team paid high dividends, as he became the oldest Olympic gold medallist in men’s singles tennis by beating Alcaraz in the final.
Furthermore, he completed the Golden Slam (winning all four Grand Slams as well as an Olympic gold medal), a feat only 13 other players in tennis history have achieved.
Back to the Present
The 100-time ATP titlist’s immediate challenge at the US Open semifinals will see him clashing against the No. 1 Spanish player in a battle of titans.
A former champion in New York, who returns to the last four off the back of a flawless campaign, yet to drop a set at the event after nine hours and 33 minutes spent on court.
The Murcia native has been making headlines, courtesy of the high-level tennis he has been delivering off his racquet to win all 15 sets he’s played throughout the venue. To say it is impressive is an understatement.
Dominant, he has earned 68 of 69 service games through five rounds at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where his bid to challenge Sinner for the top of the Rankings in a potential final.
“Everybody is probably expecting and anticipating the finals between two of them,” Djokovic said after his quarterfinal win when asked about a Sincaraz title match.
“I’m going to try to mess up the plans of most of the people.”
For his part, the 22-year-old leads the tour with 59 wins, capturing six titles this year, including his second at Roland-Garros.
With his sights on emulating the feat in the Big Apple, he is also aiming to clinch his first major title on the hard court surface since 2023.
That same year, Djokovic won his last Slam on tour in Ashe, competing in a record 36th major singles final, a roller-coaster three-setter against Daniil Medvedev, playing his A-game at the time, outlasting the former champion mentally and tactically.
He struggled physically during the contest, but it didn’t prevent him from rising to the occasion, prevailing in the highest-stakes points of a world-class match.
The most recent meeting between Alcaraz and Djokovic took place at the Australian Open, with the latter surging to victory in the last eight after four sets.
Speaking to the press, the five-time Slam champion commented: “We all know Novak’s game… It doesn’t matter that he has been out of the Tour since Wimbledon. He’s playing great matches here. I know he’s hungry. I know his ambition for more, so let’s see.”
“I played against him a lot of times. I really want revenge. That’s obvious.”
Months have gone by since that encounter held in Melbourne last January; today, Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil is the fittest he has ever been in a season he has excelled.