Alcaraz Defeats Djokovic, and eases his fight to get to the US Open. Image-US open.
(The Post News)- Carlos Alcaraz absorbed everything Novak Djokovic threw at him and powered into his second US Open final, shutting down the 38-year-old’s bid.
Djokovic entered the match aiming to overcome a 16-year age gap in his fourth Grand Slam semi-final of the season. However, Alcaraz outplayed him with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 victory. Jannik Sinner earned his place in the final alongside Alcaraz after a hard-fought 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Felix Auger-Aliassime, marking his 300th career match win.
This final will mark the first time in the Open era that two players have faced each other in three Grand Slam finals in a single season. Despite having two days of rest before the match, Djokovic couldn’t match Alcaraz’s sharp form in New York. The Spaniard hadn’t dropped a set en route to the semi-finals and delivered another dominant performance to block his attempt at a fifth US Open crown. He avenged earlier losses to Djokovic at the Olympic gold medal match and the Australian Open quarter-finals.
“It feels amazing to reach another US Open final,” Alcaraz said. “It means a lot. I wouldn’t say it was my best level, but I served really well today, and that made a big difference.”
Excitement buzzed around the stadium, with celebrities like Hugh Jackman and Jon Bon Jovi watching from the stands at Arthur Ashe.
He broke Djokovic’s serve in the opening game and set the tone early. Although Djokovic responded with enthusiasm earning a roar from the crowd after nailing a backhand down the line he struggled to put real pressure on Alcaraz’s serve.
Both players made more unforced errors than usual. He faltered early in the second set, allowing Djokovic to take a 3-0 lead. But the Serbian couldn’t maintain control. He broke back, and Djokovic slumped after netting a backhand at break point in the fifth game.
The set went to a tiebreak, where Djokovic briefly raised hopes by winning two points on Alcaraz’s serve, narrowing the gap to 4-3. But Alcaraz quickly closed out the set, leaving Djokovic two sets behind. At the changeover, Djokovic called the trainer for a massage on his neck and right shoulder an issue that had troubled him throughout the tournament.
Alcaraz then broke Djokovic twice in the third set, with the Serbian double-faulting to go down 3-1. From there, he took full control. His youth, power, and precision overwhelmed Djokovic, and the match ended swiftly.
Now eyeing his second US Open title and sixth Grand Slam overall, Alcaraz continues to shine. Djokovic acknowledged the growing challenge of facing younger stars in long matches.
“It’s going to be very hard for me to beat Sinner and Alcaraz in best-of-five matches going forward,” Djokovic admitted. “I might have better chances in best-of-three. But I’m not giving up. I’ll keep fighting to reach more Grand Slam finals and compete for trophies. That’s still my goal.”
About the Author
Discover more from The Post News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
