"It's not normal": Alcaraz challenges Djokovic with his mind focused on the match that changed his mind.

This Friday , one of the most important matches of recent times will be played at the US Open. Carlos Alcaraz faces Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the final Grand Slam of the season. In other words, the great contender to break all the achievements of world tennis faces the greatest player of all time. And he does so after two recent clashes that have left the Spaniard in his element : the Olympic final and the Australian Open quarterfinals.

To talk about Djokovic is to talk about one of the greatest legends in the history of the sport and, without a doubt, the best in tennis in terms of titles won . He has been able to win everything and, without a doubt, is a role model for younger players of everything that must be done well on the court to succeed. But Alcaraz, at just 22 years old, can already boast a triumphant career, with five Grand Slam titles under his belt and 22 titles in total . And his future is even more incredible.

Djokovic has always praised the Spaniard, his game and the number of successes he has achieved : "What he has achieved at his age is unusual, he is much more than the Big Three at the same age," he recently emphasized. Now, fate has decided that the two players will face each other in the semifinals of the US Open, in what will be their ninth meeting. Nole can boast of having the h2h in his favor , something that not many can say, with 5 wins for him and 3 for the Spaniard .

But the last two clashes between them have left a mark on the Spaniard, especially the last one, due to the pain it left behind . The first of these took place in Paris, in the summer of 2024, when Alcaraz and Djokovic played the final of the Olympic Games . The Spaniard came in playing very well and was the big favorite, in a year in which the Serbian was beginning to suffer a physical decline, and where he had not lifted a single title . And everything changed in the grand final.

In a thrilling match lasting almost three hours, Djokovic defeated the Spaniard in two tie-breaks [7-6(3) and 7-6(2)] to achieve the only major achievement he was missing : an Olympic medal. Alcaraz, visibly affected by the defeat, burst into tears during an interview with Álex Corretja, realizing the great opportunity he had missed. From then until the end of the season, he only managed to achieve victory at the ATP 500 in Beijing, with several notable stumbles against opponents inferior to him.

It was the moment Alcaraz realized he had to change . It was time to be more consistent on return, he had to improve his serve and, above all, his concentration on the court: he couldn't let small details knock him out of the match and suffer unexpected defeats. The work began at the Australian Open, where some improvements began to be seen in his game... until, once again, Djokovic crossed his path, giving him another lesson. One he wouldn't forget .

It happened in the quarterfinals , in a match where Alcaraz started dominating, but just as he was about to close out the first set, Djokovic went to the locker room, complaining of discomfort in his left leg . He was off the court for more than ten minutes, and although Alcaraz closed out the first set upon his return, something had changed. The Spaniard convinced himself that it could be an easy match, hitting first and with his opponent injured ... but nothing could be further from the truth.

Djokovic unleashed his winning streak and ultimately turned the match around , losing 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 4-6. The Spaniard, clearly angry and even suspicious of what had happened, even imitated the Serb on court, feigning a limp in his leg, suggesting that Nole was exaggerating. But, albeit painfully, he learned a lesson that day: never be complacent, never underestimate your opponent, and, above all, never lose focus .

That's the mentality he's applied ever since, and it's paid off: he's reached the finals of his last seven tournaments and is brilliant at Flushing Meadows. Now, Alcaraz and Djokovic face off again in a match where the winner will advance to the grand final. It's time to see if the Serbian still has the Spaniard's measure or if Carlitos has learned his lesson after that clash nine months ago that made him change his mind.