US Open: Carlos Alcaraz denies ailing Novak Djokovic to reach second final in New York
Carlos Alcaraz eases past 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic to reach the US Open final and a meeting with defending champion Jannik Sinner; watch the climax to the US Open live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app
Saturday 6 September 2025 20:05, UK
Carlos Alcaraz soaked up everything Novak Djokovic could throw at him before marching into his second US Open final and denying the 38-year-old a shot at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic came into the clash hoping to bridge a 16-year age gap in his fourth Grand Slam semi-final of the season but the Spaniard claimed a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 victory.
Jannik Sinner set a blockbuster final with Alcaraz after a gritty 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4 win over Felix Auger-Aliassime, where he was forced to dig deep to capture his 300th career match victory.
It will be the first time in the Open era that the same two players have contested three major finals in the same season.
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Djokovic had two days off to prepare for the contest, but Alcaraz has looked in supremely good form in New York, not dropping a set through to the last four, and he produced another brilliant performance to deny the former world No 1 a shot at his fifth US Open crown.
It was revenge for Alcaraz after defeats to Djokovic in the Olympic gold medal match and the Australian Open quarter-finals, and he said: "It's a great feeling. Once again to be in the final of the US Open, it feels amazing.
"It means a lot to me. I'd say it wasn't the best level. I served really well today, I think it was really important."
There was no doubting the excitement surrounding this contest, with actor Hugh Jackman and singer Jon Bon Jovi among the stars in attendance on Arthur Ashe.
The Spaniard began with an immediate break of the Djokovic serve in the opening game, but, despite the bad start, Djokovic seemed to be enjoying the challenge.
The crowd lapped up his celebration when he drilled a backhand pass down the line past his opponent, but he was unable to really threaten the 22-year-old's serve.
Both men were making more errors than they would have liked and a poor start to the second set from Alcaraz saw Djokovic open up a 3-0 lead.
But the Serbian's serve was not the weapon he needed it to be and soon Alcaraz was level, Djokovic hanging his head after netting a backhand on break point in the fifth game.
He stood firm through to a tie-break and had the crowd believing when he won two points in a row on the Alcaraz serve, but that only pulled the deficit back to 4-3 and he was soon two sets down.
Djokovic called the trainer at the change of ends for a massage to his neck and right shoulder area - not for the first time this tournament - and he found himself in even deeper trouble when two double faults handed Alcaraz a break for 3-1 in the third set.
The Spaniard was simply too strong, and too young, for this Djokovic and the end came quickly.
Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows three years ago and he is now looking to add a sixth crown and second of the season.
Djokovic said he wants to continue to fight for Grand Slams in 2026, saying: "It will be very difficult for me in the future to overcome the hurdle of Sinner and Alcaraz in best-of-five, I have better chance in best-of-three.
"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, to fight for the trophy, at least, but it's going to be a very difficult task."
Tale of the Tape: Alcaraz vs Djokovic
Harrison: Win shows Alcaraz's improvement
Sky Sports' Ryan Harrison on Alcaraz beating Djokovic:
"Carlos didn't play his best match but won in straight sets which tells you his level of improvement over the last couple of years - even the last nine months to when he lost to Djokovic in Australia.
"It feels like Carlos has taken the next step. He has heard the noise around him not being at his best early in a tournament.
"He is playing well, serving unbelievably well after some adjustments.
"With Novak's walk-off at the end of the match, we have a lot to unpack.
"It didn't look like someone who is definitively sure if they are going to see that court again."
Changing of the guard?
Harrison added: "It signals a changing of the guard when Carlos says he didn't play his best match and still won in straight sets.
"Carlos was just being honest and he knows he will have to play better in the final if he faces Sinner as we anticipate.
"Novak is firmly number three and it looks like he is getting further from the goal."
Navratilova: It stinks getting older!
Sky Sports' Martina Navratilova on Djokovic:
"It stinks getting older as a tennis player. I went through it. The effort is the same, you feel the same, you play the right point and you miss it, when you could have made it with your eyes closed 10 years ago."
Robson: Alcaraz's physicality key in victory
Sky Sports' Laura Robson on Alcaraz taking charge:
"Novak couldn't get a look in on Carlos' first serve - that was always going to be key. It was dominant from Alcaraz.
"Carlos spoke afterwards about making the match physical and Novak flagged physically at the end of the second-set tie-break."
Sinner sets up dream date with Alcaraz
Alcaraz will now face defending champion Sinner, who progressed to his fifth-successive Grand Slam final.
Sinner's victory over Canadian Auger-Aliassime means he becomes just the eighth man ever to reach all four Grand Slam finals in one season and the youngest in the open era, while his hard-court winning streak at the majors of 27 matches has equalled Djokovic's best with only Federer now ahead of him.
After Alcaraz was victorious in Paris and Sinner at Wimbledon, the stakes could not be higher for Sunday's final and the winner will not only claim supremacy in that metric but will leave New York as world No 1.
Sinner, who can win a fifth major overall and fourth in the last five majors, said: "Amazing season, obviously. The Grand Slams are the most important tournaments and finding myself again in the final, with an amazing crowd, it does not get any better.
"It was a very tough match today but obviously I'm very happy. Let's see what coming. Sunday is going to be a very special occasion. We know each other very well."
Sinner claimed the opening set, but Auger-Aliassime hit a purple patch in the second that even the Italian could not live with to level up.
Sinner's troubles included physical discomfort, with the 24-year-old heading off court for a medical timeout, apparently for an abdominal problem.
Auger-Aliassime could not maintain his phenomenal level and midway through the third set the errors suddenly crept into his game as Sinner broke to lead 4-2 before he served out the set.
Had Sinner's desperate backhand at break point in the fourth game of the fourth set not caught the outside of the line - to the utter disbelief of his opponent - the contest might have played out differently, but the top seed fought off the danger, broke in the next game and completed yet another win.
Addressing the injury concern, Sinner added: "I just felt a small twitching after a serve when I served there in the second set on 4-3. After the treatment, was feeling much, much better.
"At some point I didn't feel anything anymore. I was serving back to normal pace, so it was all good. Nothing to worry about."
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Tale of the Tape: Sinner vs Auger-Aliassime
Disappointment for Brits in New York
Mika Stojsavljevic's defence of her US Open junior title ended with a semi-final defeat at Flushing Meadows.
The 16-year-old was bidding to become the first player to retain the girls' singles crown in New York, but she was beaten 0-6 6-1 6-1 by Sweden's Lea Nilsson.
In the other semi-final, there was also defeat for 16-year-old Hannah Klugman.
Second seed Klugman, who reached the French Open final earlier this season, was beaten 6-3 6-2 by Belgian Jeline Vandromme, ending hopes of another British champion.
There was also disappointment for five-time US Open wheelchair singles champion Alfie Hewett, who also lost his semi-final, going down 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 7-5 to Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez.
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