Alcaraz vs Djokovic: will they play each other twice in the US Open?
Both tennis superstars recently played in the Olympic tennis tournament final, with Djokovic ultimately clinching gold.
It’s been almost two weeks since Novak Djokovic completed his ultimate accomplishment by winning the gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics against Carlos Alcaraz.
The Serb avenged his loss in the Wimbledon final, where the 21-year-old talent was the way superior player, closing the game in straight sets.
There was a good chance both men could meet on a tennis court shortly after the Summer Games, as Nole is the current Cincinnati Open champion, but the 24-time major champion decided to take a long break to spend more time with his family.
Djokovic will make his preparations for the last Grand Slam event of the calendar, the US Open, without competing in any of the two Masters 1000 tournaments before the fourth major of the year, which also indicates the Serb is satisfied enough with his gold medal and all the titles he has won as a professional in an illustrious and long career.
Could Alcaraz and Djokovic face off twice in the US Open?
With Djokovic out of the equation, Alcaraz emerges as the main favorite to lift the trophy in Cincinnati. The Spaniard is the current event finalist and will want to become champion after being very close to winning it in 2023.
Moreover, he could take Djokovic’s world No. 2 spot back if he gets to the quarterfinals, which seems quite a real possibility considering the level he has been showing over the last months.
However, even if Alcaraz and Djokovic won’t play each other again in the Ohio tournament, they could do it in the US Open, and they could do it twice.
Besides the possibility of both players colliding at some point in the event, some days before the Murcia native and Nole will face off in an exhibition, as part of the US Open Fan Week, which will take place August 19-25. Alcaraz will team up with Andre Agassi, while the Serb will play alongside John McEnroe in a doubles clash on August 21.
The event, called Stars of the Open, will also feature Jessica Pegula, Frances Tiafoe, Caroline Wozniacki, and Venus Williams, and former players Gabriela Sabatini, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Andy Roddick.