Djokovic Unsure If He’ll Be Fit Enough To Beat Alcaraz In Us Open Semi-finals

Novak Djokovic has admitted he is unsure of really physically fresh he will beryllium for his US Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz but is wished to do each he tin to springiness himself nan champion chance against nan Spaniard erstwhile they look each different connected Friday.

Djokovic reached nan past 4 precocious connected Tuesday nighttime pinch a tremendous 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 triumph against nan 4th seed Taylor Fritz. Although Djokovic recovered himself nether changeless unit successful his work games and astatine times was outplayed by his American opponent, he showed his peerless intelligence toughness by redeeming his champion level for nan astir important moments arsenic he eked retired a triumph successful 4 sets.

The triumph group up different gathering pinch Alcaraz, nan 2nd seed and French Open champion, who eased into nan semi-finals pinch a straight-sets triumph complete Jiri Lehecka.

“It’s not going to get easier. I show you that,” said Djokovic, smiling. “Look, I’m going to effort to return 1 time astatine a time. Really return attraction of my body. Try to relax and recover. The adjacent mates of days is really cardinal for maine to really get my assemblage successful style and fresh to conflict 5 sets if it’s needed. I conscionable would really emotion that. Would emotion to beryllium fresh capable to play and to play perchance 5 sets pinch Carlos. I cognize that my champion tennis is going to beryllium required, but I’d emergence to nan occasion.

“Normally I for illustration to play nan large matches connected a large stage. It’s conscionable that I’m not really judge really nan assemblage is going to consciousness successful nan adjacent fewer days.

“But I’m going to do my very champion pinch my squad to beryllium fit. There’s going to beryllium a batch of moving involved, that’s for sure. It’s not going to beryllium short points.”

At nan property of 38, Djokovic’s assemblage has been a important obstruction to further occurrence during an incredibly awesome play successful which he has go nan oldest man successful nan unfastened era to scope nan semi-finals of each 4 expansive slam tournaments successful a almanac year.

Novak Djokovic had to telephone connected nan trainer during his conclusion by Jannik Sinner successful consecutive sets successful nan Wimbledon semi-finals. Photograph: Fred Mullane/ISI Photos/Getty Images

The Serb has struggled physically towards nan extremity of each of his runs this year. At nan Australian Open he was forced to discontinue from his semi-final match against Alexander Zverev because of wounded and past he was intelligibly struggling passim his straight-sets nonaccomplishment astatine Wimbledon to Jannik Sinner.

On this occasion, Djokovic will astatine slightest person 2 days to retrieve earlier nan semi-final. On Wednesday, while Alcaraz worked done a light, leisurely believe astatine astir midday pinch his brother, Alvaro, arsenic his hitting partner, Djokovic opted against taking nan agelong travel to Flushing arsenic he prioritised betterment complete nan benefits of different time connected site.

“The bully point astir nan schedule is I person 2 days without a match, truthful that helps a lot,” he said. “I don’t consciousness very caller astatine nan moment, but hopefully successful 2 days it will beryllium different.”

With his triumph complete Fritz, Djokovic has now registered 3 top-five wins astatine nan expansive slam tournaments this twelvemonth alone, besides beating nan No 3 Zverev astatine Roland Garros, and Alcaraz astatine nan Australian Open, erstwhile nan Spaniard was besides classed No 3, an immense accomplishment that underlines his position arsenic nan 3rd champion subordinate successful nan world. Alcaraz, however, is now playing immoderate of nan champion tennis of his profession and he will beryllium attempting to scope his 3rd consecutive expansive slam last and seventh expansive slam last overall.

After his defeat, Fritz noted that Djokovic will astir apt relish nan situation of facing Alcaraz and past perchance Sinner arsenic he tries to triumph his record-extending 25th expansive slam singles title.

“I deliberation it conscionable depends really overmuch this 1 took retired of him,” Fritz said. “I really can’t speak for him. I’m not sure. But, I mean, I was really excited astatine nan fact. I was looking astatine nan tie like: ‘Oh, I will person nan opportunity to do nan coolest point ever, play Novak, perchance effort to spell done Novak, Carlos and Sinner.’ I liked nan challenge. I’m judge he – being nan competitor he is – is very excited for that challenge.”