Novak Djokovic eyes another US Open final at age 38
Sinner and Alcaraz tipped for blockbuster championship clash
Djokovic vows to disrupt their dream final showdown
Novak Djokovic is out to disrupt plans for a third straight Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz grand slam final.
Djokovic reached the US Open semi-finals for the 14th time with an impressive 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-4 victory over world number four Taylor Fritz.
In doing so, he has set up a blockbuster semi-final clash against Alcaraz, who is aiming to reach his third major final of 2025.
Pre-tournament expectations were for Alcaraz and Sinner to face off in another major showdown, having already played each other in the showpiece matches at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon this year.
Djokovic, though, has other plans.
"We don’t need to spend words about two of them,” Djokovic said. “We know that they are [the] two best players in the world.
"Everybody is probably expecting and anticipating the finals between two of them. I’m going to try to, you know, mess up the plans of most people."
Djokovic will be aiming to win a 25th grand slam title, which would pull him clear of joint-record holder Margaret Court.
The Serbian star has reached the semi-finals at each grand slam this year, but has yet to reach a final.
"I put myself in another semi-finals of a grand slam this year," added the 38-year-old, who last won a major when he triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2023.
"I have been very consistent, most consistent at the 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. Hopefully, as I said, I can be fit enough and play well enough to keep up with Carlos. Then it can be anybody's match."
Djokovic found an early break over Flushing Meadows home favourite Fritz and saved five break points to claim the opening set.
However, momentum threatened to get away from Djokovic as he struggled to close out the second set and was pegged back in the third.
But Djokovic wrestled back control in a tense fourth set, which saw the pair holding serve until 5-4, when he piled the pressure on to take the game away from the American.
"It's not going to get easier," Djokovic said. "Look, as I said, I'm going to try to take one day at a time. Really take care of my body.
"I just would really love that. Would love to be fit enough to play and to play, you know, potentially five sets with Carlos. I know that my best tennis is going to be required, but I'd rise to the occasion.”
Djokovic will face Alcaraz in the semi-finals on Friday, with the US Open men’s final taking place on Sunday.
The pair have met eight times, with Djokovic winning five of those encounters, including coming out on top in an epic tussle at the Australian Open earlier this year.
