The three leading lights of men’s tennis step onto the US Open stage on Friday, live on Sky Sports Tennis, as Novak Djokovic looks to break the Carlos Alcaraz–Jannik Sinner stranglehold on the sport.
Alcaraz, 22, and Sinner, 24, have shared the last six Grand Slam titles, in 2024, Alcaraz took Wimbledon and Roland Garros, while Sinner claimed the Australian and US Opens.
This season, the Italian repeated his Australian Open triumph and added Wimbledon, beating Alcaraz in the final, while the Spaniard gained revenge in Paris by edging Sinner in a five-set classic.
Djokovic, meanwhile, has endured a relative drought. The 38-year-old Serb, who holds a record 24 major singles titles, has not lifted a Slam since 2023. His sole final in the past two years came at Wimbledon last summer, where Alcaraz beat him in straight sets.
Even so, Djokovic remains a formidable force, reaching all four Slam semi-finals this season. His latest challenge is Friday night’s semi-final showdown with Alcaraz.
“We know they are the two best players in the world. Everybody is probably expecting the final between the two of them,” Djokovic said. “I’m going to try to mess up those plans. But I’m definitely not waving a white flag.”
While Djokovic has struggled outside of majors, he remains locked in on the sport’s biggest stages. With contemporaries Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray having stepped away, he is aware his own time is running short.
“It’s not going to get easier,” he admitted. “I’d love to be fit enough to battle Carlos over five sets. Normally I rise to these occasions. Let’s see if the body lets me.”
Alcaraz seeking revenge
Alcaraz has not lost a set en route to the semi-finals in New York, but he carries the sting of two recent defeats to Djokovic. The Serb avenged his Wimbledon loss with Olympic gold in Paris last summer, before ousting Alcaraz in this year’s Australian Open quarter-finals.
“I really want revenge. That’s obvious,” Alcaraz said. “We all know Novak’s game. He’s hungry, he’s ambitious. But I’ve been playing brutal tennis, and I feel ready.”
His coach Juan Carlos Ferrero told Sky Sports that the Spaniard has reached another level.
“He’s winning matches without dropping a set, which he’s never done before,” Ferrero said. “Carlos has grown in maturity, and that’s been the key. Against Novak he has to stay consistent, no ups and downs, because we know Novak will give absolutely everything.”
Sinner faces Auger-Aliassime test
On the other side of the draw, world No 1 Jannik Sinner continues to sweep aside opponents. Despite serving a three-month doping ban earlier this year, the Italian has looked imperious, dismissing Alexander Bublik and Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets to reach the last four. His win over Musetti extended his flawless record against countrymen to 16-0.
“He was always leading the rally, pushing me to my limit,” Musetti admitted. “I’ve never faced that kind of rush before.”
Standing in Sinner’s way is the tournament’s surprise package, Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian, now 25, has rediscovered his best form, taking down third seed Alexander Zverev, 15th seed Andrey Rublev, and eighth seed Alex de Minaur to reach his first Slam semi-final since 2021.
“It feels like a lifetime since my last semi,” Auger-Aliassime said. “The challenge now is to manage my nerves and give myself a real shot.”
US Open men’s semi-final line-up:
Carlos Alcaraz [2] vs Novak Djokovic [4] – Friday, 8pm.
Jannik Sinner [1] vs Felix Auger-Aliassime [Q] – Friday, following the first semis
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