Tennis legend John McEnroe praised Novak Djokovic’s sportsmanlike reaction following his defeat in the US Open semi-finals. Djokovic, 38, was convincingly beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 during the match on Friday.
Having faced setbacks in the semi-finals of all four major tournaments this year in his quest for a 25th major championship, Djokovic, the Serbian tennis star, holds the men’s record for major titles. Another win would distinguish him from the Open Era record he currently shares with Margaret Court.
Since his last US Open victory two years ago, Djokovic has not secured a major title, coinciding with the rise of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Nonetheless, McEnroe commended Djokovic’s behavior after Alcaraz secured his place in the US Open final.
Speaking on ESPN, McEnroe stated, “He doesn’t lose much, but he’s always been gracious enough when he does. He always gives the players their due. But this is an incredible challenger [Alcaraz].”
Alcaraz had previously suffered defeats against Djokovic in this year’s Australian Open and the 2024 Olympics, but had previously won consecutive Wimbledon finals against the Serbian player. Since Djokovic’s last US Open victory, either Alcaraz or Sinner have won the last seven majors, with Djokovic showing respect for both players.
Djokovic acknowledged his quality against Alcaraz but admitted struggling to keep up with the younger player after the second set. This led McEnroe, who compared Alcaraz to tennis legends, to comment on the possibility of Djokovic retiring.
“I don’t know. It’s all up to him,” McEnroe said. “In a way, I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped. But I would be surprised if he tried to go one more year. That would be my bet.”
Alcaraz is set to face world No. 1 Sinner in the US Open final following the Italian’s victory over Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime. They are poised to become the first men’s duo to compete in three of the four Grand Slam finals in the same season, as Djokovic evaluates his standing against the sport’s new stars.
“I lost three out of four Slams in semis against these guys, so they’re just too good, playing on a really high level,” Djokovic explained. “Unfortunately, I ran out of gas after the second set [against Alcaraz]. I think I had enough energy to battle him and to keep up with his rhythm for two sets. After that, I was gassed out, and he kept going.”
Despite the challenges of facing Alcaraz and Sinner over five sets, the 24-time major champion remains determined. “I’m going to continue fighting and trying to get to the finals and fight for another trophy at least. But it’s going to be a very difficult task,” Djokovic stated.