Alcaraz leads Djokovic in US Open SF

Match Report

Alcaraz leads Djokovic in US Open SF

Spaniard has but to drop a set in New York

September 05, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz has claimed the opening set in opposition to Novak Djokovic of their much-anticipated inter-generational conflict within the semi-finals on the US Open on Friday afternoon.

Alcaraz is aiming to avenge defeats to Djokovic at this season’s Australian Open and final 12 months’s Paris Olympics within the pair’s ninth Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly and has began brightly on Arthur Ashe Stadium. In a 48-minute first set, the second seed overpowered Djokovic together with his depth and aggression, discovering the larger performs to win the opener 6-4.

Alcaraz is chasing his sixth Grand Slam title and a second US Open crown, having triumphed in New York in 2022. He’s at present using an 11-match profitable streak, recent off his eighth ATP Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati. Ought to he go on to raise the trophy, Alcaraz will leapfrog Jannik Sinner to reclaim World No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings for the primary time in two years. He would additionally return to the highest spot if Sinner loses to Felix Auger-Aliassime afterward Friday or if neither man reaches the ultimate.

With a Tour-leading 59 wins and 6 titles in 2025, in keeping with the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Alcaraz seems in good standing to raised his career-best tally of 65 wins and 6 trophies from 2023. The Spaniard has reached the ultimate at his previous seven occasions and has already stamped his ticket to the Nitto ATP Finals, held from 9-16 November in Turin.

Djokovic defeated Taylor Fritz to hitch Sinner as solely the second man this 12 months to achieve the semi-finals in any respect 4 majors. The Serbian, chasing his first Slam remaining of the season, is attempting to win a record-extending twenty fifth main crown and break the latest dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz, who’ve gained the previous seven majors between them. Djokovic’s final main title got here at Flushing Meadows in 2023, when he beat Daniil Medvedev within the remaining.

The 38-year-old, who’s bidding to turn out to be the second-oldest main finalist within the Open Period after Ken Rosewall, holds a 37-15 file in main semi-finals and is a four-time US Open champion.

In entrance of a packed crowd in New York, Alcaraz flew out of the blocks to interrupt Djokovic’s serve within the opening recreation. Regardless of a few scorching backhand winners from Djokovic, Alcaraz was in management for almost all of the primary set. He compelled the Serbian off stability at instances together with his weight of shot, steadily placing his forehand at greater than 80 mph to dictate. Djokovic additionally struggled for consistency behind his first serve, profitable simply 65 per cent (13/20) of factors on his first supply.

Did You Know?Alcaraz is aiming to turn out to be simply the fifth man within the Open Period to achieve seven Grand Slam finals earlier than turning 23, becoming a member of an elite group that features Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Mats Wilander and Jim Courier.