Carlos Alcaraz is one step closer to becoming the first man in the Open era to win the US Open without dropping a single set in the tournament.
Alcaraz won a second-set tiebreak on his way to defeating No. 7 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 during Friday’s semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The victory marked the first time in nine career head-to-head matchups that Alcaraz had defeated Djokovic on hard court.
The momentum of the final shifted when Djokovic, who broke first in the second set, had the chance to tie the match with a tiebreak.
Alcaraz used a serve that clocked in at 131 miles per hour, per The Athletic’s James Hansen, to win the tiebreak and put Djokovic down by two sets.
The world No. 2 went on to dominate in his third set on his way to the seventh Grand Slam final of his career. Djokovic closed out the loss with a double fault and an unforced error.
Alcaraz won his first major title by defeating Jannik Sinner at the 2022 US Open.
He opened the 2025 edition of the tournament by dispatching Reilly Opelka, Mattia Bellucci, No. 32 Luciano Darderi and Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets, although he had to win an opening-set tiebreaker against Rinderknech.
Alcaraz continued the streak while defeating No. 20 Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals and Djokovic in the semis.
Only Sinner, currently ranked as the world No. 1, or No. 25 Felix Auger-Aliassime now stand between Alcaraz and his sixth Grand Slam title.
Sinner and Auger-Aliassime are set to face off in their own semifinal matchup in New York at 7 p.m. ET.
Should Sinner defeat Auger-Aliassime on Friday night, it would mark the third straight time he and Alcaraz have faced off in a Grand Slam final. Alcaraz defeated Sinner at the 2025 French Open before Sinner earned redemption with a victory at Wimbledon.