Novak Djokovic stands with his hands on the net, waiting for Carlos Alcaraz to return after he celebrated his victory with his team and family, his arms raised high.

The Serbian legend sent heartfelt wishes that made Alcaraz smile. The atmosphere in the stadium felt like the end of an era.

Time is relentless, cruel to veteran players, favoring the young generation. At the age of 38, Djokovic missed the opportunity to enrich his Grand Slam collection when he had to accept defeat 4-6, 6-7 ( 4-7 ) and 2-6 in 2 hours and 23 minutes.

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Alcaraz demands debt from Djokovic. Photo: US Open

On the contrary, the door is open for Alcaraz , as he will play his 7th Grand Slam final in his career, aiming for his 6th major title.

This is also a sweet "revenge" for the two most recent defeats against Djokovic: the 2024 Paris Olympic final and the Australian Open quarter-finals earlier this year.

Alcaraz (22 years 111 days) is the second youngest player to reach the men's singles final on all three surfaces at Grand Slam events in one season.

He became the 10th player in history to reach the US Open final without dropping a set, and only lost his serve twice throughout the tournament.

“I had a great feeling. It means a lot to be in the final here. It wasn’t my best performance today, but I served well and I was consistent until the end. It was a very physical match and I’m really happy to be playing my second final in New York,” Alcaraz said after the match.

In the match against Djokovic, Alcaraz broke the game from the start and held the advantage to win the opening set.

In set 2 , Djokovic found opportunities at times, won breaks and created pressure with skillful shots, including a lob that made the audience explode.

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Alcaraz entered the final with overwhelming form. Photo: US Open

But he could not maintain the advantage, making a mistake at the decisive moment and falling in the tie-break when having to serve second consecutively.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz delivered a rocket-like serve that made even actor Rami Malek in the stands scratch his head in regret.

Entering the third set, Djokovic shot himself in the foot with two double faults, giving his opponent a break opportunity. From there, he had no way to save himself.

Alcaraz, with the coolness of youth and the determination of a champion, won 6-2 . The victory brought Carlitos to the final of the 2025 US Open, with the symbolic meaning: the end of an era .

For the first time since 2022, one of the three legends Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer will not be present in the men's singles final at a Grand Slam event.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/carlos-alcaraz-ha-djokovic-vao-chung-ket-us-open-2025-2439766.html