World number two Carlos Alcaraz made his youth count as he beat 38-year-old Novak Djokovic to reach another US Open final.
Spain’s Alcaraz, 22, was tested by 24-time major champion Djokovic but had enough quality and energy to win 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 in Friday’s first men’s semi-final.
The margins were fine in the first two sets, with Alcaraz rarely near his free-flowing best, but the gap widened as Serbia’s Djokovic faded physically early in the third.
Two weary double faults from Djokovic hurried his opponent into a 3-1 lead and another teed up a first match point for Alcaraz – on which Djokovic batted a volley wide.
Seventh seed Djokovic hung over the net as he waited to congratulate Alcaraz, before waving to all corners of Arthur Ashe Stadium as he departed.
Alcaraz, the 2022 champion, will play either Italian top seed Jannik Sinner and Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in Sunday’s final.
“Being in the final again feels amazing – it means a lot to me,” said Alcaraz.
“It wasn’t the best level of the tournament for me but I kept a cool head from the beginning and the last point.”
Age continues to catch up with Djokovic
Djokovic has built an entire career – arguably the greatest ever seen – on upsetting the status quo.
When he first emerged as a force in the late 2000s, he was the outsider looking to break up the duopoly of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Nearly 20 years on, Djokovic finds himself squeezed out at the top of the men’s game by Sinner and Alcaraz.
Despite his advancing years and scaled-down schedule, Djokovic is still the world’s third-best player.
There were glimpses of his quality against Alcaraz, such as a vintage backhand winner down the line in the first set, as well as the ball-striking on his way to winning a 27-shot rally in the second.
But ultimately, Djokovic does not quite have the speed or endurance to sustain his highest level against Alcaraz and Sinner.
Alcaraz served well, and backed it up with aggressive groundstrokes early in the rallies, to overpower Djokovic in the key moments.
Former world number one Djokovic has proved this year that he still has enough left to reach the semi-finals of all four majors, but hitting 30 unforced errors indicated the pressure he feels against Alcaraz and Sinner.
Ultimately, he will never believe he cannot win – even when the odds are stacked against him.
“They’re just too good, they’re playing at a high level,” said Djokovic.
“I ran out of gas. I’m happy with my level of tennis – it’s just the physicality of it.”
Maturing Alcaraz avenges Melbourne defeat
Before the final major of the season began, everyone wondered who could stop Alcaraz or Sinner sweeping the Slams for the second straight season.
Alcaraz has won back-to-back French Open titles and lifted the Wimbledon title last year, losing to Sinner in this year’s final. Now he has booked his place in the New York showpiece without dropping a set.
He broke Djokovic in the first game of the match and threatened to move a double break ahead before the Serb served his way out of trouble.
It was not a classic set of tennis, lacking absorbing rallies as points were punctuated by baseline errors. Nevertheless, Alcaraz never looked like relinquishing his lead.
Momentum switched at the start of the second set, however – just as it did in their Australian Open quarter-final in January.
Alcaraz dominated the first set in Melbourne, became confused as Djokovic upped the intensity in the next, and ultimately malfunctioned in a four-set defeat.
When Djokovic moved 3-0 ahead in the second set at Flushing Meadows, there was briefly a sense of deja vu. But this time Alcaraz recognised what was happening, and was able to adjust tactically and mentally.
Trailing 3-1, Alcaraz ended a brutal exchange at 30-30 by casually flicking a cross-court forehand past Djokovic, bringing up a break point that his deflated opponent planted in the net.
Neither player created any more break chances, leading to a tie-break where Djokovic wiped out a 4-1 deficit for 4-3 before running out of steam.
Alcaraz had not previously lost any of the 52 Grand Slam matches where he had won the opening two sets.
It quickly became apparent that Djokovic, who asked for treatment on his neck before the third set, would not be the one to end that run.
