NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz was about to start a series of TV interviews to discuss the way he used his youth, athleticism and creativity to beat the much more accomplished, but also much older, Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the US Open semifinals Friday.
First, though, Alcaraz asked everyone to hold on for a moment. He pulled his cell phone out of a pocket so he could check the score of Jannik Sinner’s semifinal against Felix Auger-Aliassime. It was still only the first set of that match, but you’ve got to keep tabs on your biggest rival, right?
A few hours later, Sinner would finish off his 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Auger-Aliassime, establishing the Flushing Meadows final that somehow seemed inevitable, even if unprecedented: No. 1 Sinner and No. 2 Alcaraz will meet Sunday to decide the U.S. Open champion, marking the first time the same two men have played each other in three consecutive Grand Slam finals within one season.
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“These two players,” said Djokovic, a 24-time major champion, “are the best in the world right now.”
No doubt about that. They have established themselves as far and away the elite men in the game.
No matter Sunday’s result, the duo will have split the past eight major trophies and taken 10 of the past 13. Their career totals: Alcaraz owns five Slam titles, Sinner four.
And the No. 1 ranking will be on the line Sunday, when President Donald Trump plans to attend.
Sinner opened as a -135 favorite for the final, while Carlos Alcaraz was +100. Sinner entered the tournament as the +105 favorite, with Alcaraz the second-favorite at +180, according to ESPN BET odds. Alcaraz attracted the most tickets (28.0%) in the future market, while Sinner took the most handle (42.7%), at BetMGM.
Alcaraz hasn’t dropped a set as he pursues his sixth major title and second at Flushing Meadows. He defeated Sinner at the French Open in June and lost to his rival at Wimbledon in July.
Alcaraz is 44-2 since April, making it to the finals at each of his past eight tour-level events.
“It’s something that I’m working on, just the consistency on the matches, on the tournaments, on the year, in general. Just not having up-and-downs in [a] match,” Alcaraz said. “Probably, I’m just getting mature, just getting to know myself much better, what I need on, off the court.”
Alcaraz had lost his two most recent matches against Djokovic — in the gold-medal final at the Paris Olympics last year, and in the Australian Open quarterfinals this January.
“It’s not easy playing against him, to be honest,” Alcaraz said. “I’m thinking about the legend; what he has achieved in his career. It’s difficult not to think about it.”
Djokovic’s bid to become the first player in the sport’s history to get Slam No. 25 was blocked again, and he thinks part of the issue is trying to overcome much younger men in best-of-five set matches.
“I still want to play … [a] full Grand Slam season next year,” Djokovic said. “Let’s see whether that’s going to happen or not, but … Slams are Slams. They are just different from any other tournament. They are the pillars of our sport, the most important tournaments we have. But I do fancy my chances a bit more in best-of-three.”
Alcaraz and Sinner have combined to collect the past seven major championships and nine of the past 12. Djokovic won the other three in that span, most recently at the 2023 US Open.
Djokovic’s shots were not quite on-target early and, but for a brief interlude in the second set, his usual verve was not present. He rolled his eyes after one miss, grimaced after another. At changeovers, he flexed or stretched his neck, which bothered him earlier in the tournament, and also was examined by a trainer.
There also was the occasional bit of brilliance, including a two-handed backhand passing shot that drew raucous roars from the fans, who often cried out his nickname, “No-le!” and seemed to want to will him to at least make things more competitive, if not win.
Djokovic celebrated by strutting to his towel box while shaking his right hand over and over, as though to say, “Hoo-boy! How nice was that?”
Djokovic even stole one of Alcaraz’s service games while taking a 3-0 lead in the second set. Might this portend a long, tight match?
Nope. Alcaraz immediately responded, taking the next three games, including one scooped cross-court forehand passing winner that was so superb even Djokovic applauded with his racket.
Alcaraz never faced another break point.
“Today, I’d say, it wasn’t the best level of the tournament for me,” said Alcaraz, whose 30 unforced errors were the same as Djokovic’s total, “but I just kept a cool level [from] the beginning until the last point.”
He was wearing a pink, sleeveless shirt and sporting nearly a full head of hair less than two weeks after showing up with a buzz cut he said was necessary when his brother tried to play barber but messed up.
Asked whether he’ll stick with the new look if he wins Sunday, Alcaraz smiled and replied: “Even better. You will see. … Surprise, surprise.”
The Associated Press and ESPN’s Doug Greenberg contributed to this report.
