NEW YORK — In most instances, whether in team or an individual sport, whenever you pit a 22-year-old in peak physical condition against a 38-year-old who may or may not be on his last legs, the results tend to favor the younger athlete.
Because Father Time has laid down the hammer on other athletes approaching four decades in age many instances before, with the notable exceptions of LeBron James and Tom Brady, and most recently at the US Open, the incomparable Venus Williams, ordinary athletes tend to call it a day when their skills have diminished to the point where it’s no longer feasible to watch them compete.
But Novak Djokovic is no ordinary athlete.
And what he is doing at this stage in his career is borderline absurd.
He is the oldest player ever to reach all four Grand Slam semifinals in a single year, and tennis’ version of Gumby is aiming for his 25th Grand Slam champion and his first since winning at Flushing Meadows in 2023, the last of his four victories here.
Leading up to Friday’s star-studded semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, Djokovic’s aching body has felt the impact, especially this year.
He had to retire in the Australian Open semifinals due to a left leg muscle tear. At the French Open, the same leg gave him issues against Jannik Sinner, and at Wimbledon, it was his groin that gave him fits. He lost all three Grand Slams this year in the semifinal round.
But Djokovic acknowledges the task before him as he prepares for his 53rd Grand Slam semifinal, and the two days off after dispatching Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals will do him some good.
Against Fritz, Djokovic at times was breathing heavily and even slumping over with his hands on his knees after chasing down some of Fritz’s strong forehand rallies.
‘It’s not going to get easier; I tell you that,’ Djokovic said. ‘I’m going to try to take one day at a time, really take care of my body, try to relax and recover. The next couple of days is really key for me to really get my body in shape and ready to battle five sets if it’s needed.
‘I just would really love that, would love to be fit enough to play—and to play potentially five sets with Carlos. I know that my best tennis is going to be required, but I’d rise to the occasion.’
Alcaraz’s motivation against Djokovic, who has spent a record 428 weeks ranked No. 1, is simple.
‘I know he’s hungry. I know his ambition for more. I know I played a lot of times against him. I really want revenge,’ Alcaraz said. ‘That’s obvious.’
Djokovic has the upper hand in their head-to-head battle, 5-3, against Alcaraz, having emerged victorious in four sets at the Australian Open quarterfinals and the epic gold medal match at the Paris Olympics last summer.
Alcaraz, the 2022 US Open champion, has lost only twice since April and hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament. He spent less than two hours on the court in his dismantling of Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals.
The key to his success has been his serve. Alcaraz has won 99% of his service games and 84% of his first serves, putting his opponents at an immediate disadvantage. Alcaraz scoring with his second serve is even better, winning at a 68% clip, far and away the tournament’s best, with 33% of those being unreturned.
‘I’ve been improving myself a lot, and just every practice, every match I’ve been trying to feel more comfortable with the movement, with hitting good serves, and the percentage as well for me, it’s really important,’ he said.
Alcaraz has said that he lost his focus when Djokovic was injured at the Australian Open and that he learned from the experience. However, the psychological aspect of the game will likely come into play, and whoever is mentally the toughest might emerge victorious.
Another accolade is at stake for Alcaraz; by winning the US Open, he will reclaim the No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings, but in the meantime, he will spend some time on the links with fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia in between the highly anticipated match.
‘I started to play at the beginning of 2020. I just feel really peaceful when I go out and playing some golf on the golf course,’ said Alcaraz, a five-time Grand Slam champion. ‘For me, it’s a privilege to have time to play some golf, to be honest.’
That peace and quiet reserved for the golf course will come to a quick end at what’s expected to be a rowdy Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd on Friday afternoon, where two of the sport’s greatest battle in what’s expected to be another instant classic.