Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic in 3 sets at the US Open to reach 3rd Grand Slam final in a row

Carlos Alcaraz was about to start a series of TV interviews to discuss the way he used his youth, athleticism and creativity to beat the much more accomplished, but also much older, Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the U.S. Open semifinals Friday.

First, though, Alcaraz asked everyone to hold on for a moment. He pulled his cell phone out of a pocket so he could check the score of Jannik Sinner's semifinal against Felix Auger-Aliassime. It was still only the first set of that match, but you've got to keep tabs on your biggest rival, right?

A few hours later, Sinner would finish off his 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Auger-Aliassime, establishing the Flushing Meadows final that somehow seemed inevitable, even if unprecedented: No. 1 Sinner and No. 2 Alcaraz will meet Sunday to decide the U.S. Open champion, marking the first time the same two men have played each other in three consecutive Grand Slam finals within one season.

"These two players," said Djokovic, a 24-time major champion, “are the best in the world right now.”

No doubt about that. They have established themselves as far and away the elite men in the game.

No matter Sunday’s result, the duo will have split the past eight major trophies and taken 10 of the past 13. Their career totals: Alcaraz owns five Slam titles, Sinner four.

And the No. 1 ranking will be on the line Sunday, when President Donald Trump plans to attend.

Alcaraz is seeking his sixth major title and second at Flushing Meadows. He defeated Sinner at the French Open in June and lost to his rival at Wimbledon in July.

Sinner could become the first repeat men’s champion in New York since Roger Federer won the hard-court tournament five years in a row from 2004 through 2008.

Djokovic’s bid to become the first player in the sport’s history to get No. 25 was blocked again.

Alcaraz, 22, and Sinner, 24, have combined to collect the past seven major championships and nine of the last 12. Djokovic won the other three in that span, most recently at the 2023 U.S. Open.

Djokovic’s shots were not quite on-target early and, but for a brief interlude in the second set, his usual verve was not present. He rolled his eyes after one miss, grimaced after another. At changeovers he flexed or stretched his neck, which bothered him earlier in the tournament, and also was looked at by a trainer.

There also was the occasional bit of brilliance, including a two-handed backhand passing shot that drew raucous roars from the crowd, which often cried out his nickname, “No-le!” and seemed to want to will him to at least make things more competitive, if not win.

Djokovic celebrated by strutting to his towel box while shaking his right hand over and over, as though to say, “Hoo-boy! How nice was that?”

When Alcaraz served for the first set, one particularly spectacular point that ended with both men near the net until a perfectly angled shot by Djokovic drew a mistake really got the crowd fans. Djokovic smiled, then shook his racket to hear more support and fans obliged.

But Alcaraz induced return errors on each of the next two serves, both at 118 mph — Djokovic crouched in disappointment after the first — and that locked up the set.

Soon enough, Djokovic finally earned a break point with the help of a return of a 132 mph serve and converted it when Alcaraz pushed a backhand long. Djokovic threw an uppercut and held the pose as spectators leaped out of their seats to shout and clap and exchange high-fives before launching another chorus of “No-le!”

It was just the second time at this U.S. Open that an opponent had stolen one of Alcaraz’s service games.

One hold later, Djokovic led that set 3-0. Might this portend a long, tight match?

Alcaraz immediately snapped to, taking the next three games, including one scooped cross-court forehand passing winner that was so superb even Djokovic felt compelled to applaud with his racket.

Alcaraz never faced another break point. That’s quite an accomplishment. As Alcaraz said shortly before completing the walk from the locker room to the Ashe court, “Now I am facing one of the best returners ever, if not the best.”

Alcaraz is rather talented at that aspect of tennis, too. So when he won the coin toss, he chose to receive, and it took all of one game for him to show what he can do, breaking Djokovic at the get-go.

It might not have been a perfect performance from Alcaraz, who made 30 unforced errors, the same total as Djokovic. But it was more than good enough.

“Today, I’d say, it wasn’t the best level of the tournament for me,” Alcaraz said, “but I just kept a cool level (from) the beginning until the last point.”

He was wearing a pink, sleeveless shirt and now sporting nearly a full head of hair less than two weeks after showing up for his first-round match with a buzz cut he said was necessary when his brother tried to give him a cut but messed up.

Maybe the decision to enjoy some down time Wednesday helped Alcaraz. He played golf with 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who was in a front-row seat across from the chair umpire Friday.

Apparently, Alcaraz came out on the winning end on the links, too, saying of Garcia: “He owes me $200 right now.”