New York, September 6 (H.S.) : Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, delivered a commanding performance on Friday night, defeating 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 to storm into the final of the US Open 2025.

Inside a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, the much-anticipated clash lived up to its billing, enthralling fans with dazzling rallies and high drama. Alcaraz, the 2022 US Open champion, sealed victory on match point to a deafening roar, outpacing Djokovic with twice as many winners and unleashing his trademark aggressive shot-making.

Reflecting on his triumph, Alcaraz said, “Reaching the US Open final once again feels incredible and means so much to me. It was an extremely physical match, and I gave everything on the court.”

Djokovic, seeded seventh, looked troubled from the outset, dropping his serve early in the first set without earning a single break point opportunity. Alcaraz’s crisp serving clinched him the opener.

The Serbian legend fought back in the second set, breaking early with a piercing backhand in the second game. But Alcaraz struck back in the fifth game after a grueling rally, leveling the score before taking control of the tiebreak. Despite moments of brilliance from Djokovic—including sharp net play that lit up the crowd—Alcaraz’s relentless serve powered him to a two-set lead.

The third set spelled disaster for Djokovic, who was undone by untimely double faults that handed Alcaraz the momentum. A final forehand error from the veteran sealed his fate. In a gracious gesture, Djokovic crossed the net with a smile to embrace and congratulate his young rival.

With this victory, Alcaraz now advances to Sunday’s championship match, where he will face the winner of the semifinal between defending champion Jannik Sinner and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No. 25 seed.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar