NEW YORK – Novak Djokovic knows that the world expects a different final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday in the US Open.
And even he – the man with the most important titles in history and someone who spent 428 weeks on top of the ranking – believes that they are the best two players in the world. He openly talked about how important the duo is for the sport and its future.
But despite all that, the 38-year-old Djokovic is not yet completely ready to pass the baton.
“Everyone expects and anticipates the final between two of them,” said Djokovic after his quarter -final victory over Taylor Fritz on Tuesday. “I’m going to try, you know, the plans of most people to mess up.”
Djokovic gets his chance to do that on Friday, while he takes on the 22-year-old Alcaraz, the number 2 seed, in a long-awaited semi-final. The winner will be confronted with the top-ranged sinner or no. 25 Seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who also plays on Friday, in Sunday’s final. Alcaraz and Sinner played against each other in the previous two SLAM Finals, with Wimbledon and the French Open, and have combined to win the last seven large titles.
On Friday, the ninth career meeting between Djokovic and Alcaraz, where Djokovic has a 5-3 lead and with the two most recent victories. But even with that history, Alcaraz is still preferable to win the competition.
There is a lot on the line for both players. Djokovic hopes to keep his dream alive from winning his 25th big SLAM title, which would break a draw for most with Margaret Court, and Alcaraz would like to reach his third consecutive Grand Final and possibly want to win the sixth of his career.
Here is everything you need to know prior to the semi -final from Friday.
Can Djokovic do it?
Djokovic has a few things for him. First of all, he was never lost to Alcaraz on Hard Court. Their last meeting, in the quarterfinals on the Australian Open to start the year, Djokovic Force saw a comeback – after the early leg injury to walk and drop the opening set – behind powerful foundations, strong defense and vintage movement that seemed better and better as the match progressed.
Alcaraz later admitted that Djokovic’s injury made him somewhat lost his focus, and Djokovic has attributed his enormous career experience to help him overcome the obstacle and every distraction.
During the US Open, Djokovic was pushed to four sets in three of his five games, including during his 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory on Fritz on Tuesday. He has had some injuries, to a variety of seriousness, during the tournament and the season, and he was grateful that he had the extra off day for the semi -final. He will probably need it. Because of the semi -final, Djokovic spent almost 3½ more hours on the field than his younger opponent.
“I’m going to try to take one day at a time, really take care of my body, try to relax and recover,” said Djokovic in the early morning hours on Wednesday. “The next few days is really the key to me to really get my body in shape and ready to fight five sets if needed.
“I would just like that, would like to be fit enough to play – and potentially play five sets with Carlos. I know my best tennis will be needed, but I would take the opportunity.”
He admitted that he did not feel “very fresh” at the moment in his press conference after the quarterfinals, but was hopeful. He also had faith in his ability to ‘grind’, as he had done against Fritz, and to find an extra equipment at the most crucial moments. “You just have to play with your heart and fight,” he said. “That is what ultimately gave me the victory.”
Although not completely in its excellent form, Djokovic has shown that he is a formidable enemy for father season during his run in New York. He was easily moved by the court and was stimulated by his strong operation. He conquered in 92% of his service games and had 57 aces. Not to mention, he also won an impressive 33% of his return games.
“I think he always serves well, like with his first portions,” Fritz said Tuesday evening. “He touches his spots well. He gets a good amount of free points and aces … I think what has made it difficult in the past is how much variance there is in his second service.”
The third round opponent of Djokovic, Cameron Norrie, whom he had played six times before, was just as exuberance in his praise.
“He served incredibly well, perhaps the best he has ever served against me,” said Norrie. “I was really impressed by that.”
Ok, but Alcaraz is still the favorite to win the game, right?
Yes. There has been no more dominant for fourteen days than Alcaraz. Arrived in New York After he just won the title in Cincinnati, he was the only man who reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set and he was confronted with only one tiebreak in his five games. He has hardly been stopping, even against high -quality opponents.
Jiri Lehecka, the no. 20 seed of the tournament that Alcaraz beat in less than two hours in the quarterfinals, said Alcaraz – or the “Grand Slam version of Carlos” – just did everything better if it mattered the most.
“If you want to beat him, you have to win at least a few of the big points, and he won them all,” said Lehecka on Tuesday. “Even when I played a really good rally, even when I tried to put him under pressure, went to the net, change the rhythm, do something, he was there and he had an answer to everything I tried.”
And if that was not enough, Alcaraz has won an amazing 99% of his service games – except one – in New York. He told reporters that his serve had been his primary focus for improvement and attributed in the past year, and his consistency, for his recent results.
“Tennis, it is sometimes very difficult, because one day you can really serve, very well, and the next game you can feel completely different and really bad,” he said after beating Lehecka. “So I try to keep the focus on the serve, just try to do everything the same and get the good feeling.”
Alcaraz said he knew that Djokovic was “hungry” and had an “ambition for more” when she thought ahead of their (then possible) collision, but said he had his own motivation: revenge. “Of course,” he said Tuesday, referring to their previous games.
So who will win this competition?
One thing is certain: both players will bring their best level and a non -repellent desire to continue to Sunday’s final.
Djokovic defeated Alcaraz on this surface this season on a Grand Slam, so he knows exactly what to do to get it done again. The most important thing is that he believes he can do it. He is also sharply aware of the ticking clock in his career and that he has only limited opportunities to realize his dream for 25.
But whether that will be motivating or debilitating in a high -pressure situation is still to be seen after a series of semi -final outputs. Djokovic also knows that the longer the game lasts, the more the younger and fresher Alcaraz benefits, so he will have to be strong from the first point.
Alcaraz has none of the same weight on his shoulders. But what he does have is trust and a game that clicks on all cylinders. He has not confronted much adversity during his run, but if he can deal with those moments, if and when they perform, and remain locked up, it certainly feels like this is his match to win.
Prediction: Alcaraz in four sets.
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