US Open semi-finals: Novak Djokovic out to disrupt tennis’ new ’dominant forces’ Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in New York | Tennis News

The three premier men’s tennis players in the world are in US Open semi-final action on Friday, live on Sky Sports Tennis, with elder statesman Novak Djokovic intent on crashing the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner universal love-in.

In 2024, Alcaraz (22-years-old) and Sinner (24) shared the four Grand Slam titles between them: the former claiming Wimbledon and the French Open, the latter the Australian Open and US Open.

This year, Sinner has notched up the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles – beating Alcaraz in London – while Alcaraz secured a stunning French Open final triumph over Sinner.

As such, Djokovic – the all-time leader in terms of Grand Slam singles titles on 24 – has not tasted major success since 2023, a year in which Alcaraz also stunned him in an epic Wimbledon final.

In fact, the 38-year-old Serbian has made just one Grand Slam final over the last two years – losing in straight sets to Alcaraz in 2024’s Wimbledon showpiece – conceding Alcaraz and Sinner are now the ’dominant forces’ in tennis. Yet, his target remains breaking up the party when he faces Alcaraz in the semi-final, live on Sky Sports from 8pm on Friday.

”We know that they are the two best players in the world. Everybody is probably expecting and anticipating the final between the two of them. I’m going to try to mess up the plans of most of the people,” Djokovic said.

”Let’s see. But they are playing the best tennis of any players here. They have been the dominant force since the beginning of the tournament.

”But I definitely am not going with a white flag on the court. I don’t think anybody does really when they play them, but particularly not me.

”I put myself in another semi-final of a Grand Slam this year. I have been very consistent, most consistent on Slams this season and that’s what I said at the beginning of the year, where I would like to perform my best tennis and make the best results. Here we are. I have another chance, another shot.”

While Djokovic’s form at Grand Slams has been impressive this calendar year, he has failed really to perform outside of those major windows, struggling for form and fitness.

Having seen contemporaries Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray depart the sport in recent years, Djokovic is aware his time on tour is coming to an end.

”It’s not going to get easier. I tell you that,” Djokovic added. ”I’m going to try to take one day at a time. Really take care of my body. Try to relax and recover. The next few days is really key for me to really get my body in shape and ready to battle five sets if it’s needed. I just would really love that.

”I would love to be fit enough to play and to play potentially five sets with Carlos. I know that my best tennis is going to be required, but I’d rise to the occasion.

”Normally I like to play the big matches on a big stage. It’s just that I’m not really sure how the body is going to feel in the next few days. But I’m going to do my very best with my team to be fit for that.”

Alcaraz: I’m seeking revenge vs Djokovic

For Alcaraz’s part, the Spaniard has been bested by Djokovic in their last two marquee encounters – that despite his crushing victory over the Serb in the 2024 Wimbledon final.

Shortly after that success, Alcaraz was surprisingly beaten in the final of the Paris Olympics by Djokovic, before losing a four-set quarter-final at the Australian Open in January.

Alcaraz has looked in fine fettle in New York, however, and has not dropped a single set en route to the semis.

”Novak, we all know Novak’s game…It doesn’t matter that he has been out of the tour since Wimbledon,” Alcaraz said this week.

”He’s playing great matches here. I know he’s hungry. I know his ambition for more, so let’s see.

”I know I have played a lot of times against him. I really want revenge. That’s obvious.”

Looking ahead to Friday’s blockbuster semi-final, Alcaraz’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero told Sky Sports even he has been taken aback by the level Alcaraz has performed to in recent weeks.

”It has been amazing. He’s playing a brutal tennis. He is winning all matches without losing a set, which is something that has never happened before.

”But I think consistently, he grew up a little bit as a mature person, and now he’s playing so much better than say a couple of months ago, and it’s one of the keys he needs to really get to the final.

”Novak I think is giving his best, maybe thinking about the future. I think he knows he has this chance in front of him.

”He reached all the semi-finals in Grand Slams [this year] and I think he wants to go for it. So we are pretty sure that he’s going to give absolutely his 100 per cent. He’s very motivated.

”He wants to win the tournament, so Carlos has to play his best, absolutely, and try to put the rhythm he has that is very high and try to be very focused all the time, not giving him ups and downs, playing very consistently all the time.”

Metronomic Sinner faces surprise package Auger-Aliassime in search of third 2025 Grand Slam

While angst may still exist in tennis over Sinner’s three-month doping ban – during which he did not miss a Grand Slam and returned in time for his home ATP event in Rome – what cannot be denied is the quality of the Italian’s tennis at present.

World No 1 and top seed at Flushing Meadows, Sinner has coasted through to the semis, producing ominously dominant last 16 and quarter-final straight-set wins over Alexander Bublik and countryman Lorenzo Musetti respectively.

That second victory means Sinner is remarkably 16-0 in terms of victories against fellow Italians, as he searches for a third Grand Slam title in 2025 to sit beside his Australian Open and Wimbledon crowns.

”I have never played, honestly, someone who put me on this kind of rush in the rally, and I didn’t have many chances on the rally,” Musetti said this week.

”He was always leading the rally. So that was kind of a bad feeling, of course, when I was playing against him.

”I was pretty impressed by Jannik’s performance. I think he served really well, and he was pushing me to my limit. Of course, he’s better than me, and he showed. But I’m happy that I played against him to understand even the things that I have to improve. So hopefully soon I can have a test again.”

Big-serving Canadian Auger-Aliassime has proven the surprise package in New York, defeating third seed Alexander Zverev, 15th seed Andrey Rublev and eighth seed Alex de Minaur en route to just a second-ever Grand Slam semi-final and first since 2021.

The 25-year-old admits his main aim will be to control nerves.

””Four years ago – it feels like more.,” said Auger-Aliassime.

”It was a tough couple of years but it feels even better now to be back in the semi-finals. The biggest challenges are yet to come but that’s what I live for, that’s what I train for.”

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