Alcaraz deals with Djoker to shuffle into US Open final
Howard Fendrich |
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 in straight sets at the US Open.
The Spaniard’s 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 win on Friday (Saturday AEST) earned him a berth in his third consecutive grand slam final.
By the end, Djokovic 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.
The No. 2-seeded Alcaraz’s victory means he will face either No.1 Jannik Sinner or No.25 Felix Auger-Aliassime for the championship on Sunday, when President Donald Trump plans to attend.
Alcaraz is seeking his sixth major title and second at Flushing Meadows. He defeated Sinner at the French Open in June, then lost to his rival at Wimbledon in July.
Sinner could become the first repeat men’s champion in New York since Roger Federer won the hard-court tournament from 2004-08.
Djokovic’s bid to become the first player in the sport’s history, male or female, to get No.25 was blocked again.
Alcaraz, 22, and Sinner, 24, have combined to collect the past seven major championships and nine of the past 12. Djokovic won the other three in that span, most recently at the 2023 US 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 was the occasional bit of brilliance, including a two-handed backhand passing shot that drew raucous roars from the crowd, who seemed to want to will him to at least make things more competitive, if not win.
Djokovic celebrated by strutting to his towel box while shaking his right hand over and over, as though to say, “Hoo-boy! How nice was that?”
When Alcaraz served for the first set, one particularly spectacular point that ended with both men near the net until a perfectly angled shot by Djokovic drew a mistake really got the crowd excited. Djokovic smiled, then shook his racquet to hear more support, and the fans obliged.
But Alcaraz induced return errors on each of the next two serves, both at 190km/h – Djokovic crouched in disappointment after the first – and that locked up the set.
Soon enough, Djokovic finally earned a break point with the help of a return of a 212km/h serve and converted it when Alcaraz pushed a backhand long.
It was just the second time at this US Open that an opponent had stolen one of Alcaraz’s service games.
One hold later, Djokovic led the set 3-0. Might this portend a long, tight match?
Alcaraz immediately snapped to, taking the next three games, including one scooped cross-court forehand passing winner that was so superb even Djokovic felt compelled to applaud with his racquet.
Alcaraz never faced another break point. That’s quite an accomplishment. As Alcaraz said shortly before completing the walk from the locker room to the Ashe court: “Now I am facing one of the best returners ever, if not the best.”
It might not have been a perfect performance from Alcaraz, who made 30 unforced errors, the same total as Djokovic, but it was more than good enough.
“Today, I’d say, it wasn’t the best level of the tournament for me, but I just kept a cool level (from) the beginning until the last point,” Alcaraz said.
AP
