The US Open is preparing for a night of fire. Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed the predictions and is already among the four best in the US Open
The Spaniard is going through the most solid moment of his career and on Friday, September 5, he will face Novak Djokovic for a ticket to the final. The time is not yet confirmed, although it is expected that the match will start at 15:00 local time (EDT, GMT-4). The match can be followed on ESPN and the ESPN APP.
But the meeting is not just another one: it is a date with history. Alcaraz arrives at this semifinal after authoritatively defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in an impeccable match that allows him to chain his ninth semifinal of the season and surpass the eight that Manolo Santana achieved throughout his career. Only Rafael Nadal remains ahead, with 38. In addition, the Spaniard has reached this round without dropping a single set, something he had only achieved before at Roland Garros 2023, where he lost fewer games along the way (40 compared to 46 now).
Alcaraz’s big moment
“I’m feeling the ball very well. I’m happy with how I’m progressing mentally and how I deal with difficult moments better than before. I’m at the most mature point of my career,” reflects an Alcaraz who is increasingly aware of his evolution.
His numbers are impressive: eight consecutive semifinals on the circuit – which could become finals if he manages to defeat Djokovic – and 9,340 points accumulated this season, 485 more than in all of 2023, which until now was his best campaign as a professional.
Facing him, however, will be Novak Djokovic, a rival who transcends any statistic. The Serb, who comes into the match after overcoming Taylor Fritz 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in 3 hours and 24 minutes, is looking for a historic goal: his 25th Grand Slam. He has been trying for two years to break the tie with Australia’s Margaret Court, with whom he shares the record of 24 titles, and New York could be the perfect setting to achieve it.
The Arthur Ashe Stadium is already preparing to host one of the matches of the year. A semi-final that pits two generations against each other, two styles and two ways of understanding tennis. For Carlos Alcaraz, it is more than a match: it is the opportunity to assault the throne of the US Open and get a little closer to legend.
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