“I can definitely tell you, the road ahead won’t get any easier,” Djokovic said with a smile when asked about his upcoming path at the US Open. He has felt this deeply, and the season has confirmed it.

The good news is that he made the semifinals in the first three Grand Slams of 2025; the bad news is he failed to take a set in any of those matches. At the Australian Open and Wimbledon, injuries plagued him, limiting his resistance in the semifinals. In Melbourne, he retired due to injury after the first set against Zverev; at Wimbledon, his physical condition wasn’t sufficient to battle Sinner, resulting in a straight-sets defeat.

Only at the French Open was Djokovic at full strength, but even with his years of experience and veteran tactics, he couldn’t secure a set. Will the fourth time be the charm? Djokovic and his fans have several reasons to believe this time will be different.

First and foremost, he appears healthy. At this US Open, he called for the trainer a few times, but the issues were minor interruptions. He just finished a four-set battle against Fritz that ended late Tuesday night; although he looked tired at times, he was never pushed to the limit. Two days of recovery seem feasible.

“I will never step onto the court with a white flag,” Djokovic said. “The next two days are crucial for me to get my body into the best shape and be ready to play a full five-set match.”

Secondly, his opponent is not Sinner but Alcaraz. It might sound like “out of the frying pan into the fire,” but Djokovic has recently dealt with this “fire.” His head-to-head record against Alcaraz is 5 wins to 3 losses, and he’s undefeated 3-0 against him on hard courts. This year at the Australian Open quarterfinals, he beat Alcaraz in four sets.

Djokovic tends to be smarter against Alcaraz: he uses unexpected aggressive starts to pressure his opponent and stays steadier at critical moments. He has successfully imposed his style on Alcaraz more often than he has against Sinner.

“I really hope to have the stamina to play Carlos, maybe even a five-set battle,” Djokovic said. “I know I have to bring my best tennis, but I’m ready to face the challenge.”

Does Djokovic’s tone sound a bit pessimistic for someone with a winning record over his opponent? Considering Alcaraz’s form since spring, there’s reason for concern. The Spaniard has won six titles across three different surfaces and hasn’t dropped a set in New York so far.

“I think I played a nearly perfect match today,” Alcaraz said after beating Lehecka on Tuesday. “Feeling like this in a Grand Slam quarterfinal means I’m just two steps away. Let’s see what happens next.”

Of course, Lehecka is one thing, Djokovic is another. So far, Alcaraz hasn’t fully shaken off his reverence for the Serbian, which might explain some recent losses. Let’s see if that remains the case or if his hot streak this spring and summer—43 wins in 45 matches—finally puts him out of Djokovic’s reach.

“We all know Novak’s game,” Alcaraz said. “Even though he hasn’t played since Wimbledon, he’s still performing great here. I know he’s hungry for victory and still ambitious, so let’s wait and see.”

Indeed, let’s wait and see: this is a highly unpredictable matchup. Djokovic may still hold psychological and tactical advantages, but will Alcaraz’s youth, fitness, shot-making ability, and confidence neutralize those strengths?

I choose to trust Djokovic’s own attitude—as mentioned earlier, his words Tuesday night sounded unusually uncertain. “I just can’t be sure how my body will feel in the coming days,” the 38-year-old veteran said. “But I’ll do everything with my team to stay healthy during the match. One thing’s for sure: this match will involve a lot of running.”

In other words, the path ahead won’t be easier. Predicted winner: Alcaraz.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)