NEW YORK – In most important tennis metrics, Carlos Alcaraz has already put together a career that has eaten up Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and Jim Courier, among others, with Boris Becker and Stephen Edberg heels. Still, despite five grand slam titles, the 22-year-old Alcaraz arrived at this US Open as an entity that has not yet been fully formed.
It wasn’t just Alkaraz’s time that his game wasn’t as mature as his resume. It was a clear moment of contradiction, focusing on during the match, his lack of clarity in decision-making had little effect on him – excluded against one opponent.
advertisement
But if Alkaraz’s relative struggle against Novak Djokovic represented the gap between where he was and where he could go, Friday’s semi-final was another milestone.
The relationship between Master and Ingenue has changed. Alcaraz’s only competition in this matchup was himself, and was finally blown away at their ninth career meeting.
Alcaraz’s 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory doesn’t look like a breakthrough in the history books of players who spend the next decade trying to rewrite them. But by making the US open without dropping the set, and by bullying Djokovic on a day when he didn’t have one of his A-Plus, the Spaniard unleashed a new level of his greatness.
The training wheels are finally off due to the greatest talent of all time who have yet to approach his prime.
advertisement
“It’s something I’m working on, it’s just match and tournament consistency, there’s no ups and downs,” Alcaraz said. “I want to keep that level really high throughout the game at the level where we start a game. I think we’re doing that in this tournament.
Alcaraz’s almost practice format in this Us Open doesn’t mean he’s the rock for winning this title on Sunday for the second time in his career. If No. 1 Jannik Sinner takes care of the business in his second semi-final on Friday night with Felix Auger-Aliasime, he sets the third straight grand slam final with a rivalry that looks like a coin flip.
advertisement
But here, it is very important that Alkaraz concluded Djokovic in his Friday way.
Over the past two years I’ve seen a lot of high-end Alkaraz. That’s how he won two Masters 1000 level tournaments, two Wimbledons, two Frenchmen opened and two Masters 1000 level tournaments in the first 18 majors of his career.
The problem was that such issues were completely related to the consistency and maturity he approached work on a daily basis, sometimes on a point-to-point basis. Like so many genius entertainers, the desire to show off his entire skill wasn’t always useful to him on days when he simply had to get the job done.
“Just as I mature, I get to know myself better and know what I need from the court,” Alcaraz said. “I think I’m doing really well off the court to help me play the best tennis. I understand how important it is.”
advertisement
Apart from last year’s Wimbledon Finals, where Alkaraz used Djokovic, who only had been removed for a few weeks after knee surgery, these impulses were most obvious in this matchup.
Djokovic’s 5-7, 7-6, 7-6 7-6 victory in the 2023 Cincinnati Finals – from one of the best matches played outside the majors – from last summer’s Olympic gold medal match, it was very clear that the X-factor was the X-factor to win Alkaraz.
By the time they met at this year’s Australian Open Quarter Final, Djokovic was in his mind. Alcaraz couldn’t fall into full flow, and he approached each shot with edgeness, as if the entire history of their rivalry had been downloaded to his mind.
And the story was formed: the sinner was a machine-like winner. Alkaraz is a high-wire method that could either explode into heaven on the spot or blow away self-combustibility.
advertisement
But during his walk through the courtroom on Friday, he proves that it is not true.
Carlos Alkaraz greets Novak Djokovic after the semi-finals at the US Open. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
(Clive Brunskill via Getty Images)
Back in April, Alcaraz finished the finals in his last eight tournaments. If he wins on Sunday, it would be his sixth title in that stretch. How is consistency?
At various points in the past few years, other players on the tour can expect Alcaraz to succumb to immature and open a glide pass to the Grand Slam Final. But now, even Djokovic has to admit that it is unlikely outside of injuries.
“We expect young people to be improving,” he said. “These two players (Sinner and Alcaraz) are the best in the world right now. If you haven’t improved, something’s not right. They’re definitely getting better and better every year.”
advertisement
If you’re looking for a confirmation of Alcaraz’s growth, this match was a proof of concept.
Alcaraz was all business except for a 10 minute stretch at the start of the second set when he unnecessarily dumped the service game. No, he admitted in a post-match interview that he easily paid his opponent off the court, although perfect and sharp as most of us were open.
But that’s what the dominant players do.
They win without the best. They ultimately rendered the sin of their old rivals pointless. They turn the most expensive day session tickets in US open history into busts. They show you in real time what it looks like to climb the ladder of the greatest man of all time.
