(September 5, 2025) FLUSHING, NY – No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz defeated No. 7 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 to reach the US Open final. He will play No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Sinner, the top seed beat No. 23 Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets in the night session.
The 22-year-old Spaniard will be seeking his second major in New York and his sixth overall.
Alcaraz made a statement in the very first game of the match, breaking Djokovic in a seven-minute game. He held on to that lead to win the first set 6-4. The Spaniard won 79% of his first serve points.
In the second set, Djokovic won 12 of the first 16 points to take a 3-0 lead. Alcaraz bounced back to get back on serve. Forward to a tiebreaker, where Alcaraz took a 4-1 lead, and went on to win it 7-4.
Alcaraz overpowered Djokovic in the third set, and the four-time US Open winner had no answer as he could not keep up with his 22-year-old opponent.
Alcaraz has not dropped a set in the tournament. “For me it’s great. 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 the match. Just the level that I start the match, just wanted to keep that level really high during the whole match.
“So I’m thinking I’m doing that in this tournament, which I’m really proud about. Yeah, let’s see. But, yeah, probably I’m just getting mature. I just getting to know myself much better, what I need on, off the court. The things that I’m doing off the court I think I’m doing really, really well, which help a lot, and to play my best tennis. I think it’s getting better.”
“I’m playing against Novak. It’s not easy playing against him, to be honest.
“No, I’m thinking about the legend, what he has achieved in his career. It’s difficult not to think about it. So that makes facing him even tougher. But, you know, I’m just really happy to get my first win against him on the hard court and making another final here.”
The 38-year-old, 24-time major champion from Serbia reached the semifinals at all four majors this year but fell short in that round each time.
“I lost three out of four slams in semis against these guys, so they’re just too good, you know, playing on a really high level,” Djokovic said.
“Unfortunately, I ran out of gas after the second set. I think I had enough energy to battle him and to keep up with his rhythm for two sets. After that I was gassed out, and he kept going.
“That’s kind of what I felt this year also with Jannik. Yeah, best-of-five makes it very, very difficult for me to play them. Particularly if it’s like the end stages of the Grand Slam.”
“I’m happy with my level of tennis, but you know, it’s just the physicality of it, you know. As I said after the quarterfinals, the press conference when I spoke to you guys, I said, you know, I’m going to do my very best to get my body in shape to sustain that level and that rhythm for as many hours as it’s needed, but, you know, it wasn’t enough. That’s something I, unfortunately at this point in time in my career, can’t control.
“I can do only as much as I can do. Yeah, it will be very difficult for me in the future to overcome the hurdle of Sinner, Alcaraz, in the best-of-five on the Grand Slams. I think I have a better chance best-of-three, but best-of-five, it’s tough.
“I’m not giving up on Grand Slams in that regard, having said that. I’m going to continue fighting and trying to get to the finals and fight for another trophy at least. But, you know, it’s going to be a very difficult task.”
I had fun, particularly in the second set, competing with Carlos, had some amazing points. The crowd was into it, and it was quite close.
“But, yeah, he was just a better player in the important moments. It’s never fun losing a tennis match, but at the same time, if I’m to lose to someone, I would lose to these two guys. I know that they are just better at the moment. You just have to hand it to them and say, Well done.”
Alcaraz on playing Sinner: “I always take things about the previous matches, If I’m playing against Jannik, obviously I’m going to take things about the last matches that I’ve played against him.
“The last one or the last three matches, I’m going to take note, and I will see what I did wrong, what I did great in the matches, just to approach the final in a good way.”
Sinner on playing Alcaraz:
“On court we like to see each other, you know, because it means that considering our ranking, it means that we are doing well in the tournament.
“Off court we bump into each other at times. I don’t know if we are happy or not (smiling), but no, I think it’s great. As I always say, we have a great relationship also off the court, and everything is fine, you know, between him and me and also all teams. You know, my team and their team, we are just working hard, but in the same time we are also normal, normal people.
“It’s great. So, yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
More to follow…
