Carlos Alcaraz joins select group after US Open hard court victory against Djokovic

Carlos Alcaraz is set to face off against Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the highly anticipated US Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Sunday.

But before booking his ticket to the championship match, the Spanish star delivered a masterclass Friday night, defeating 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets: 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2, in just 2 hours and 26 minutes.

Alcaraz finally beats Djokovic on hard court

With this victory, Alcaraz joins an elite club of just five players who have beaten Djokovic on all three major surfaces—grass, clay, and hard court. The win at Flushing Meadows was the missing piece in Alcaraz’s surface sweep against the Serbian legend.

Tennis is played on three different surfaces, and Carlitos can boast of having beaten the Serbian on all of them. As for the Grand Slams, Wimbledon is played on grass, while Roland Garros is on clay. The Australian Open and the US Open, on the other hand, are played on hard courts. The latter is what the Spaniard was missing to defeat Nole on all possible grounds.

Alcaraz’s first win against Djokovic

On clay, Carlos won at home. The Murcian eliminated Nole in the semifinals 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 after nearly four hours of play at the 2022 Mutua Madrid Open, a tournament which he went on to win, beating Alexander Zverev in the final. It was also the first time he beat the Serbian and he became the first tennis player to beat Djokovic and Nadal in the same tournament on clay.

The first time Alcaraz beat the Serbian on grass was in the 2023 Wimbledon final. The Spaniard won in five sets 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, ending Djokovic’s run of four wins in the English tournament final (he was champion from 2018 to 2022) and thus lifting his first trophy. It was also his second Grand Slam.

The players who have beaten Djokovic on three surfaces

Only four other players had defeated the Serbian on all surfaces at ATP tournaments. The first was Roger Federer. After him came Rafa Nadal, the first Spaniard to achieve the feat. Andy Murray also achieved the feat. Jannik Sinner was the last, along with Alcaraz, the new era of tennis. They are the only two players to achieve this feat outside of the Big Four.

As for Djokovic, his quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title continues. After making it to the semifinals in all four majors this season, he has failed to reach a final for the first time since 2017.

“[Alcaraz and Sinner] are just too good, you know, playing on a really high level,” the Serbian admitted in his postgame press copnference. “That’s kind of what I felt this year also with Jannik. Best-of-five makes it very, very difficult for me to play them. Particularly if it’s like the end stages of the Grand Slam.”

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment.Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.