Tennis legend Novak Djokovic has made a candid admission following his straight-sets defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semifinal, acknowledging that the new generation of players is proving too strong for him at this stage of his career.
Djokovic lost 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 to Alcaraz in a match that saw the Serb struggle to maintain intensity after the second set. This marks the fourth straight major in 2025 where Djokovic has been stopped at the semifinal stage, denying him a chance at his record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
“I think you’re right, I lost three out of four slams in semis against these guys, so they’re just too good, playing at a high level,” Djokovic admitted in his post-match press conference.
Earlier this year, Djokovic retired mid-match against Alexander Zverev in Australia, before suffering semifinal losses to Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
“Unfortunately I ran out of gas after the second set. I think I had enough energy to battle him and keep with his rhythm for two sets, but after that I was out and he kept going,” the 38-year-old said, reflecting on the loss.
Djokovic, long known for his extraordinary endurance, admitted that best-of-five-set matches are becoming more challenging against younger players.
“It’s kind of what I felt this year even with Jannik. Best of five makes it very, very difficult for me to play with them, particularly if it’s the end stages of the Grand Slam,” he added.
Despite the setback, Djokovic believes his best chance at the historic 25th Slam could come at the Australian Open 2026, a tournament he has dominated in the past. However, with Alcaraz chasing a career Grand Slam and Sinner defending his title, the challenge will be tougher than ever.
