Alcaraz too strong as he beats Djokovic in straight sets to reach US Open final

"Across the net, Carlos Alcaraz continued his imperious form by maintaining his composure and holding his nerve to return to the US Open final with a 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory. There was once a time when Alcaraz himself would frequently speak of the rollercoasters he would find himself on in matches, his tendency to pair his spectacular shotmaking with bewildering performances and find himself in unnecessarily protracted battles."

"By reaching a grand slam final without dropping a set for the first time in his career, this victory further underlines how Alcaraz has evolved into such a reliable and dependable player this summer. He is in the form of his life, having now reached eight consecutive finals in addition to three consecutive major finals this year. At just 22, Alcaraz is the third youngest man in the open era to reach seven grand slam finals, behind only Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal."

"For Djokovic, who had not competed since Wimbledon before this tournament, simply reaching a fourth major semi-final in 2025 was an immense achievement. But with every physio appearance and physical struggle throughout this week, the strains of trying to compete at the highest level across the gruelling best-of-five-sets format at 38 years old has been as clear as ever. Novak Djokovic fought hard but did not have the physical power to make his way past the much younger Carlos Alcaraz."

Novak Djokovic employed serve-and-volley, drop shots and exceptional defense but lacked the level and physical power to overcome Carlos Alcaraz late in the match. Alcaraz remained composed and held his nerve to win 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 and progress to the US Open final. Alcaraz reached a grand slam final without dropping a set for the first time, has reached eight consecutive finals and three consecutive major finals this year, and at 22 is the third youngest man in the open era to reach seven grand slam finals. Djokovic, who had not played since Wimbledon, reached a fourth major semi-final in 2025 but showed clear physical strains and required multiple physio visits while competing at age 38. Alcaraz will face Jannik Sinner or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final.

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