A Breakdown of How Carlos Alcaraz Dismantled Novak Djokovic at the US Open

Fans dream of fantasy battles: Bjorn Borg vs. Pete Sampras, Roger Federer facing his idol Stefan Edberg; yet the 16-year gulf between 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz and 38-year-old Novak Djokovic is even wider. And guess what? This gap, along with Novak’s wavering perseverance and the brutal physical toll, became the perfect storm that cost him the match today at the US Open. The age showed in his form, the resolve cracked under pressure, and the younger lion roared louder when it mattered most, leaving Djokovic chasing shadows in a duel that felt like destiny rewriting itself in real time. But what are the three mistakes that Novak made today?

Service game lost

In a grueling 48-minute opener, the second seed overwhelmed Novak Djokovic with relentless depth and fearless aggression. And guess what made the major issues in the set? The service game that the Serbian lost, a crack in the armor that set the tone.

Even in the second set, drama unfolded as the Spaniard then dropped his serve for just the second time this tournament at the start of the second set, but rallied from 0-3, winning an absorbing second-set tie-break with some ferocious hitting to gain further control after one hour and 52 minutes of action. Below 70% in the first serve point won in the entire match is not enough when you are competing with a 22-year-old Spaniard who has an above-average win rate of 80% in the entire tournament.

Doubles faults

Djokovic committed more double faults than Alcaraz in the match, 5 to 2, if we go by the numbers. The 38-year-old, chasing history as he aimed to become the second-oldest major finalist in the Open Era after Ken Rosewall. He with a formidable 37-15 record in Grand Slam semi-finals and four US Open titles to his name. Yet, those costly double faults became the cracks that unraveled his quest, tipping the scales and ultimately costing him the match.

Service points lost

In front of a roaring New York crowd, Alcaraz flew out of the blocks, breaking Djokovic’s serve in the opening game and setting the tone for the battle ahead. Despite a couple of scorching backhand winners from Djokovic, Alcaraz owned the first set, forcing the Serbian off balance with the sheer weight of his shot with over 80 mph to dictate the rallies.

Djokovic’s serve faltered early, his first delivery bringing just 65 per cent (13/20) of points, not enough against a man who thrives on every small opening. And guess what? The Spaniard committed more unforced errors than Djokovic and even showed flashes of frustration when his drop shot misfired, but he never backed down.

Instead, he stood close to the baseline in the tie-break, swung freely, and powered through the court with fearless aggression, seizing control of the set. The Serbian’s service woes deepened, as the lost points piled up and shifted momentum toward the younger challenger.

The Serb won only 55 service points compared to the Spaniards’ 63, which also became one of the major facts that caused the match for the 38-year-old. 

And as the Serbian now bids a goodbye to the US Open, his elusive 25th trophy is still on the Grand Slam case. When do you think he will win his 25th trophy now?