In the past three years, Carlos Alcaraz has established himself as a dominant force with Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces, but he has only managed to beat Novak Djokovic on grass a record he will look to change when they meet in Friday’s U.S. Open semi-final.
Alcaraz, 22, has emerged as one of the sport’s most formidable forces over the past three years, lifting Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces. Yet he has beaten Djokovic only on grass, winning their last two meetings at Wimbledon.
Djokovic holds a 3-0 record against Alcaraz on hard courts and leads their overall head-to-head 5-3. The 38-year-old, chasing an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam crown, has reached the semi-finals at every major this season but fallen short of the final each time.
Chasing a second U.S. Open crown, world number two Alcaraz admitted revenge was on his mind after losing to Djokovic in the Paris Olympics final last year and in the Australian Open quarter-finals this January.
“I really want revenge. That’s obvious,” Alcaraz said. “We all know Novak’s game. I know he’s hungry. I know his ambition for more, so let’s see.”
Djokovic, who last lifted a major trophy in New York in 2023, acknowledged the physical toll of five-set matches as he prepares for another test.
“Would love to be fit enough to play and to play potentially five sets with Carlos,” he said after beating Taylor Fritz in the quarters. “I know my best tennis is going to be required.”
Alcaraz leads the ATP Tour this year with 59 match wins and six titles, while Djokovic’s only silverware came in Geneva.
In the other semi-final, world number one Sinner faces resurgent Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who has reached his best Grand Slam run in four years after beating Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minaur.
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Sinner, unbeaten in 26 hardcourt major matches, has lost only one set in New York and is bidding to reach a fifth straight Grand Slam final. The Italian has already claimed titles in Melbourne and Wimbledon this season and came within a point of beating Alcaraz in the French Open final.
“These are very special occasions. Finding myself again in the semis of a Grand Slam, it’s a great achievement,” Sinner said.
Auger-Aliassime, a U.S. Open semi-finalist in 2021, holds a 2-1 edge in their head-to-head but was crushed by Sinner in Cincinnati last month.
“What to say about Jannik’s game? He’s been untouchable at times… I need to play good tennis,” he said.
U.S. Open Order of Play – Friday
Arthur Ashe Stadium (1600 GMT/1200 PM ET)
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Women’s doubles final: 1-Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic)/Taylor Townsend (U.S.) v 3-Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada)/Erin Routliffe (New Zealand)
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Men’s singles semi-final: 7-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v 2-Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
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Men’s singles semi-final: 1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v 25-Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada)
