Djokovic confident of ruining Alcaraz's "plan" - Sinner

(Dan Tri) - Novak Djokovic admitted that his fitness is not yet 100% after his victory in the US Open quarterfinals. However, he strongly declared that he will "not raise the white flag on the field" when facing Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals.

US Open Men's Singles Semifinal Schedule

Carlos Alcaraz - Novak Djokovic (2 a.m., September 6)

Felix Auger-Aliassime - Jannik Sinner (2 hours, September 6)

The dream US Open final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz is the talk of the town, but Novak Djokovic has vowed to spoil the party. The Serb, chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, beat Taylor Fritz in four sets to reach the semi-finals, where he will face Alcaraz.

“We know they are the two best players in the world ,” Djokovic said. “Everyone is probably expecting and expecting a final between them. I will try to upset most people’s plans. Sinner still has a few more matches to win to get to the final. But they are playing the best tennis of all the players here. They have been the dominant force since the beginning of the tournament.”

Djokovic is playing better with each round at the US Open (Photo: Getty).

However, Djokovic insists he will not give up easily. “I definitely will not go out with a white flag. I don’t think anyone really does that when they play, but especially me. I reached another Grand Slam semi-final this year. I have been very consistent, especially in the Grand Slams this season, and that’s what I said at the beginning of the year, that I want to be at my best and have the best results. Now I have one more chance, one more shot.”

Djokovic has reached the semifinals at all four Grand Slams in 2025, but has yet to win a title. He lost to Sinner at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and retired to Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open. The four-time US Open champion is looking for his first Grand Slam title since his victory at Flushing Meadows in 2023. To do so, he will likely have to overcome both Alcaraz and Sinner, who have dominated the last seven Grand Slams.

Djokovic has struggled with a number of minor injuries throughout this year's US Open, from blisters to a back injury to a shoulder problem. Despite that, he still managed to reach the semi-finals after maintaining an unbeaten record against Taylor Fritz, taking his head-to-head record to 11-0.

Djokovic announced he is ready to face Alcaraz (Photo: Getty).

After beating Fritz in 3 hours and 27 minutes, Djokovic will be hoping to be in top shape when he returns to Arthur Ashe Stadium on the morning of September 6. He leads Alcaraz 5-3 in the head-to-head series.

However, Djokovic is starting to feel his age. “The good thing about the schedule is that now I have two days off court, which helps a lot. So I don’t feel very fit at the moment, but hopefully the next two days will be different,” he said with a smile.

“I tell everyone it’s not going to get easier. I know that. I’m going to take it one day at a time. Really take care of my body. Try to relax and recover. The next few days are really important for me to get back in shape and be ready to fight five sets if I have to. I’m really looking forward to it.

"I want to be fit and be able to play five sets against Carlos. I know I will have to play my best tennis, but I will try my best. Normally I like to play big matches on a big stage. I'm just not sure how my body will be in the next few days. But I will do my best with the team to be in the best shape for that match," Djokovic added.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/djokovic-tu-tin-pha-hong-ke-hoach-cua-alcaraz-sinner-20250904114656243.htm