New York (EFE).- Carlos Alcaraz knows what it’s like to defeat Novak Djokovic in two Wimbledon finals, but the wound of the Olympic gold that the Serbian snatched from him in Paris is still open. This Friday, in the semifinals of the US Open, the player from Murcia will have the opportunity to get his revenge.
“We all know Novak. He is playing great matches here. I know well that he comes hungry and with a lot of ambition. I want revenge,” Alcaraz said after sealing his pass to the semifinals on Tuesday against the Czech Jiri Lehecka.
Alcaraz and Djokovic have faced each other eight times, with a record of five victories for the Serbian and three for the Spaniard. The last one was in January, in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, on a hard court like New York, with a victory for Djokvoic in four sets.
The previous one had been the Olympic final in Paris. Before that, Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in two Wimbledon finals (2023 and 2024), while the Serbian defeated him in the final of the Cincinnati Masters 1,000 in 2024.
Djokovic seeks to expand his glory
For Djokovic, the last active member of the ‘Big Three’ – with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – the US Open is, at 38 years old, one of the last opportunities he has to conquer the coveted ‘Grand Slam’ number 25.
That title ’25’ would place him alone as the tennis player with the most ‘grand slams’ in history, ahead of the Australian Margaret Court, with whom he currently shares that honor.
El tenista serbio Novak Djokovic, durante un partido del Abierto de Estados Unidos, el 2 de septiembre de 2025. EFE/Sarah Yenesel
With that goal in mind, Djokovic has reached the semifinals of the four ‘Grand Slams’ in 2025, but he crashed in Australia against the German Alexander Zverev and at Roland Garros and Wimbledon against the Italian Jannik Sinner.
In New York, Djokovic has ridden to the semifinals, but his physical discomfort and symptoms of fatigue in demanding matches leave many doubts about how he will perform against the athleticism of an Alcaraz who is practically twice his age.
“The truth is, I’m not quite sure how the body is going to feel in the next few days,” Djokovic said after his quarter-final elimination against American Taylor Fritz. “Right now I don’t feel very fresh, but I hope that in a couple of days it will be different,” he admitted.
“I would love to be fit enough to play a five-set match with Carlos,” added the Serbian.
Alcaraz, Untouchable So Far
If Djokovic has ridden, Alcaraz has swept. The Spaniard, with an improved and practically impenetrable serve (84% of first serve points) of which he is very proud, has received only one ‘break’ (against the Italian-Argentine Luciano Darderi, in the third round) in the entire tournament.
With the level Alcaraz has shown, a final with Sinner seems inevitable, the same as in Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Furthermore, the world number 1 is at stake. Alcaraz, virtually in the lead, must equal or improve Sinner’s result to consolidate the assault on the leadership of the ATP ranking.
El tenista español Carlos Alcaraz, durante un partido del Abierto de Estados Unidos, el 2 de septiembre de 2025. EFE/Cristóbal Herrera
“Everyone expects and takes for granted the final between the two (Sinner and Djokovic). I’m going to try to ruin their plans,” warned the Serbian.
In this 2025, Alcaraz has accumulated more victories than any other tennis player, with a record of 59-6 (22-2 in ‘Grand Slam’), and has won more titles than anyone else, six in total: Roland Garros, Rome, Monte Carlo, Cincinnati, Rotterdam and Queen’s.
Furthermore, the Murcian has reached the final in the last seven tournaments in which he has competed.
Golf and Recovery
While Djokovic is investing his two rest days in “taking care” of his body, Alcaraz dedicated one of those days this Wednesday to playing a round of golf with his compatriots Sergio García and David Puig.
Fotografía de archivo de los tenistas Carlos Alcaraz (i) y Novak Djokovic (d), en Wimbledon 2025. EFE/Tolga Akmen
“Every day off I try to go play some golf. It’s something that’s working, and it’s working well. So, why change the routine?” explained the man from Murcia.
Alcaraz and Djokovic will play their semi-final from 3:00 p.m. local time in New York (7:00 p.m. GMT) at the Arthur Ashe Stadium of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center sports complex.
Once the Alcaraz and Djokovic match is over, but not before 7:00 p.m. local time (11:00 p.m. GMT), Jannik Sinner and Félix Auger-Aliassime will take to the court to play the second semifinal.
