Blockbuster matchup is set for semifinals of men's U.S. Open

Djokovic has never lost a U.S. Open quarterfinal, and now he'll meet the 22-year-old Spanish superstar for the first time on the New York City hardcourt.

Right now, Djokovic holds the upper hand against Alcaraz, 5-3. The two most recently met in the 2025 Australian Open quarterfinals. The duo are no stranger to the big stage, meeting at the Olympics gold-medal game in 2024, the Wimbledon Final in 2023 and 2024 and the French Open semifinals in 2023.

It's no secret that meetings between Djokovic and the best and brightest of modern tennis are dwindling. He has no direct plans of retiring soon, but he's pushing 40 and is last of the "Big 4" that are still playing.

With blockbuster meetings with Djokovic and any of today's stars running out of time, it's important to appreciate the last bit of a great era in tennis as we enter into the next one, but, it'll be a huge matter of endurance for the Serbian, as he's noticeably slowed down through long matches against seemingly robotic opponents like Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who looms on the other side of the bracket, still in quarterfinal play.

Two days of rest will serve Djokovic well, a chance to rest and recover. Then, it'll be showtime in Queens in a highly-anticipated semifinal meeting and a perfect crossover between two eras of tennis dominance.