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First set: Djokovic* 2-4 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)
Certainly not in this game. He does win the second point, despite a 114mph second serve from Alcaraz, but that\u2019s as good as it gets. Alcaraz then powers away a forehand, punishing Djokovic for not quite hitting with enough depth, and smacks another forehand winner for 40-15, before sealing the game.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n First set: Djokovic 2-3 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server) Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.49 EDT<\/p>\n And look who\u2019s watching.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Share<\/a><\/p>\n First set: Djokovic* 1-3 Alcaraz (*denotes next server) Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.50 EDT<\/p>\n First set: Djokovic 1-2 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server) Novak Djokovic fires off a forehand. Photograph: Eduardo Mu\u00f1oz\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.39 EDT<\/p>\n First set: Djokovic* 0-2 Alcaraz (*denotes next server) Share<\/a><\/p>\n Alcaraz breaks: Djokovic 0-1 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server) Carlos Alcaraz eyes a forehand return. Photograph: Eduardo Mu\u00f1oz\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.40 EDT<\/p>\n Djokovic arrives on Arthur Ashe first. There\u2019s barely a spare seat in the near-24,000-capacity house, the biggest stadium in tennis. Alcaraz follows, somewhat predictably getting the greater applause, and he also wins the coin toss too. So he\u2019s already 2-0 up in a way. But there\u2019s no sight of the biggest smile in tennis; he\u2019s got his gameface on. Martina then finally offers her prediction, and is also backing Alcaraz in four.<\/p>\n Carlos Alcaraz (left) and Novak Djokovic pose ahead of their US Open semi-final. Photograph: Eduardo Mu\u00f1oz\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.31 EDT<\/p>\n Here\u2019s Novak. He\u2019s asked before stepping on to court how his body is feeling. \u201cIt\u2019s feeling alright, let\u2019s see. I\u2019m expecting a very physical battle. I look forward to it, the challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n And then it\u2019s Carlos. \u201cTo be honest in the grand slams having two days to rest [before this semi-final], to feel fresh, is great. I recharged the battery physically and mentally. I\u2019ve been really consistent this tournament [on serve], which I\u2019m really happy about. But now I\u2019m facing one of the best returners, it\u2019s going to be tricky.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Martina is, however, talking tactics. I think the key for Djokovic will be how well he serves. He\u2019s become increasingly reliant on his serve to reduce the length of points, which is almost the opposite of prime Djokovic, who knew he could out-rally anyone. At the Australian Open this year, when Djokovic was struggling with his leg problem in their quarter-final, he was forced to play first-strike tennis to win and, although it goes against his instincts, a similar approach today probably represents his best chance of victory.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Tim Henman is going for an Alcaraz win in four sets, as is former NFL player Jason Bell, who\u2019s a guest in the Sky studio. I\u2019m not going to argue with that; I\u2019m predicting Alcaraz in four too. \u201cDjokovic can keep it close, but that speed of movement and firepower from the back of the court and extra sparkling of stardust that Alcaraz has will get him over the line,\u201d Henman says. Poor Martina hasn\u2019t yet been asked for her prediction. Good to see she\u2019s back on Sky after this<\/a>. Awkward.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAlcaraz should be the clear favourite against Djokovic – he\u2019s young, in his athletic prime and is riding a wave of absurd consistency,\u201d emails an excited Gavriella Epstein-Lightma. \u201cHe\u2019s reached the finals in each of his last seven tournaments. Alcaraz\u2019s last defeat that did not fall in a final was in Miami against … David Goffin.<\/p>\n \u201cYet the one thing that should give Djokovic a tiny glimmer of hope is the curious reality that Alcaraz sometimes falters against Djokovic. Whereas Sinner now dispatches Djokovic with ruthless efficiency (as seen in how he is 6-0 in sets at grand slams against Djokovic this year), Alcaraz has more to prove. What a tantalising prospect this match is.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Do remember: this is where you can get in touch<\/a> with any predictions or predilections. It\u2019s always good to hear from you.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n There Alcaraz is, backstage, headphones on, flexing his muscles, doing a bit of dancing and sucking on what appears to be an energy gel. \u201cI\u2019ll have whatever he\u2019s having,\u201d quips Martina Navratilova on Sky Sports. He looks so relaxed as always.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n In the girls\u2019 singles, the defending champion Mika Stojsavljevic and Hannah Klugman have been unable to set up an all-British final. Stojsavljevic has just lost in three sets, after Klugman\u2019s straight-sets defeat earlier. In the quad singles, Andy Lapthorne went out in the last four, while in the wheelchair men\u2019s singles, Alfie Hewett has just been edged out 7-5 in a third set by Argentina\u2019s Gustavo Fernandez. Hewett will have the chance to get his revenge against Fernandez later in the final of the men\u2019s doubles.<\/p>\n Lea Nilsson fires off a forehand in her victory over Mika Stojsavljevic. Photograph: Clive Brunskill\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.16 EDT<\/p>\n There have been plenty of matches already today. Taylor Townsend\u2019s eventful US Open \u2013 including unwittingly getting involved in that row with Jelena Ostapenko and then her last-16 exit in the singles after holding eight match points against Barbora Krejcikova \u2013 has ended with defeat in the women\u2019s doubles final. The American, along with her Czech partner Katerina Siniakova, who were the top seeds, lost 6-4, 6-4 to Canada\u2019s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand\u2019s Erin Routliffe. For Dabrowski and Routliffe, it\u2019s their second US Open doubles title in three years.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s Tumaini\u2019s preview too:<\/p>\n Carlos Alcaraz took his final leave from Rod Laver Arena this year consumed by frustration. Losing at the Australian Open, the first grand slam tournament of the year, was painful enough, but Alcaraz\u2019s disappointment was particularly down to how he had lost.<\/p>\n Novak Djokovic had visibly begun to struggle with a leg injury early in their four-set quarter-final<\/a>, but instead of focusing on his own game, Alcaraz found himself staring across the net and thinking too much about his opponent\u2019s condition rather than about what he needed to win. While the Spaniard\u2019s focus wavered, Djokovic\u2019s difficulties inspired his most offensive, decisive tennis, and he willed himself to a miraculous victory.<\/p>\n That meeting was the last encounter in what has become one of the most unusual rivalries the sport has seen. At 38 and 22 respectively, Djokovic and Alcaraz were born 16 years apart. Their first meeting at the Madrid Open in May 2022, won by Alcaraz, occurred two days after his 19th birthday and two weeks before Djokovic turned 35. Considering that significant age gap, just one match between them would have been a fortunate outcome.<\/p>\n Instead, when they enter Arthur Ashe Stadium for their semi-final match on Friday, they will have met on every single major stage in professional tennis: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, the Olympic Games and ATP Finals. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 5-3 and those meetings have included some of the most memorable matches in the sport, from Alcaraz\u2019s recovery to win his first Wimbledon title in 2023<\/a> to Djokovic\u2019s career\u2011completing Olympic gold medal<\/a> triumph last year.<\/p>\n The contrasting dynamics of their careers have always been at the forefront of this match, with the Serb desperately fighting to maintain his high level despite his advancing age while Alcaraz attempts to mature and grow as he moves closer to his physical peak.<\/p>\n This tournament has underscored both of those challenges. After spending his early years succeeding despite his wavering focus and impulsive shot selection, Alcaraz has never been more consistent. The 22\u2011year\u2011old is seeking to reach an eighth consecutive final and a third major final in a row. The confidence he has gained from an immense summer has afforded him his first run to a grand slam semi-final without dropping a set. Alongside his improved concentration and clarity of thought on each point, the development of Alcaraz\u2019s serve into an increasingly consistent weapon has been invaluable.<\/p>\n You can read the rest here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n I wonder what Novak Djokovic<\/a> thinks when he looks at Carlos Alcaraz and sees a smiling assassin who stopped him from winning that elusive 25th grand slam title in last year\u2019s Wimbledon final, has already accumulated more majors than he had at the age of 22, is loved and adored in a way Djokovic never has been and has emphatically made sure \u2013 along with Jannik Sinner \u2013 that the Serb is no longer the main man in tennis.<\/p>\n You wouldn\u2019t blame Djokovic if he hated the sight of the Spaniard (though with Carlos that\u2019s hard) or at least felt some envy towards today\u2019s semi-final opponent, who serves as a reminder of the time the 38-year-old doesn\u2019t have left in tennis and the one remaining piece of history he still hasn\u2019t claimed.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s a sense that Djokovic may slowly be making peace with his borrowed time. He said before this tournament he doesn\u2019t really want to be missing out on family events any more for tennis. Beyond the grand slams, his desire to continue playing has waned this year. Could this even be his last US Open? If he claimed undisputed GOAT-ness by winning the title, you feel it may be.<\/p>\n What does seem certain, however, is that, barring an Alcaraz injury, Djokovic will not only have to play a near-perfect match but also hope his body holds up \u2013 which it hasn\u2019t always done at the business end of slams over the past two years \u2013 if he\u2019s to win today. Yes, he beat Alcaraz in last year\u2019s Olympic final, but that was over the best of three sets, and yes, he also won their Australian Open quarter-final in January. But the Alcaraz in Melbourne was a shadow of the New York version of Alcaraz, who\u2019s combined a new laser-like focus with his already supreme shotmaking to reach the last four of a slam without dropping a set for the first time.<\/p>\n Alcaraz has been locked-in from the start and is now loaded for a likely third consecutive major final against Sinner (Bryan will be here later to take you through Sinner v Felix Auger-Aliassime). It\u2019s now up to Djokovic to see if he can defy not only tennis\u2019s duopoly, but also age, the odds and any sense of logic.<\/p>\n The players will arrive at: 3pm New York time\/8pm BST.<\/p>\n While you wait: here are the highlights from that 2024 Olympic final<\/a> and also their five-set arm wrestle in the 2023 Wimbledon final<\/a>. Take your pick.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Another blistering backhand down the line gets Djokovic out of a little hole at 15-30. A second ace (to Alcaraz\u2019s zero) makes it 40-30. And Alcaraz concedes the game with another drop-shot error. That\u2019s Djokovic\u2019s most comfortable hold so far. But can he find a way to break back?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hot and muggy today, the warmest day of the tournament so far, at about 27 degrees. Which is likely to help Alcaraz\u2019s power and spin. Djokovic is already clutching his neck and shoulder as Alcaraz advances to 30-0, such is the workout he\u2019s already endured in three and a half games, and he hangs his head as it becomes 40-0. Alcaraz then attempts to cut Djokovic in half with a body serve, but Djokovic reacts quickly to get it back and Alcaraz miscues. Before double faulting. And uncharacteristically underhitting his drop shot! From 40-0 it\u2019s deuce. Djokovic nets with a poor slice \u2026 before getting the crowd on their feet with an open-stance 92mph backhand winner down the line!! He was so far beyond the baseline he was almost downtown. But he misses two cheap shots and Alcaraz maintains the break. Absorbing stuff.<\/p>\n
Djokovic opted not to practise on Wednesday and yesterday, to rest his 38-year-old body after his quarter-final against Taylor Fritz, and despite having a decent practice earlier, he\u2019s been caught cold so far. Djokovic looks to finally be finding his feet at 30-0, but Alcaraz comes back for 30-all, jumping on a weak second serve. Alcaraz has Djokovic sprinting and sliding and doing the splits on the next point, Djokovic attempts the pass, but it doesn\u2019t land in. Alcaraz is smiling, Djokovic is grimacing, because here\u2019s a point for a double break. This time Djokovic is able to repel the Spaniard, taking the next three points for his first hold. He\u2019s on the board. But it\u2019s taken 16 testing minutes.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz, again wearing his pink sleeveless top\/purple short combo, looking more like he\u2019s ready for the beach than a date with one of the game\u2019s greats, swiftly moves to 30-0. And then 40-15, with a 128mph serve out wide. Alcaraz errs on his backhand for 40-30, but an untidy forehand from Djokovic also ends up in the net. Having taken that virtual 2-0 lead before this semi-final started, that scoreline has now become a reality.<\/p>\n
So Djokovic is serving first. He starts as he means to go on, winning the opening point when Alcaraz flashes a forehand wide. And, it has to be said, there\u2019s a larger than expected cheer when Djokovic takes it. Djokovic drops the next two points by netting on both, then it\u2019s Alcaraz\u2019s turn to get in on the net-bashing act. 30-all. Djokovic hits a weak backhand into the net and already here\u2019s the first break point of the semi-final. Alcaraz looks for all the world as if he\u2019s going to win it, doing all the hard work and big hitting, but moves forward to round things off \u2026 and makes a mess of the volley! Deuce turns into advantage Djokovic, then deuce, then advantage Alcaraz. And Alcaraz breaks when Djokovic balloons long! As if Djokovic didn\u2019t already know how tough this match was going to be, he does now.<\/p>\n