Novak Djokovic hopes semi-final battle is with Carlos Alcaraz and not own body

Novak Djokovic hopes his biggest battle at the US Open on Friday is with Carlos Alcaraz rather than his own body.

The Serbian will try to bridge a 16-year age gap when he takes on Alcaraz in his fourth grand slam semi-final of the season.

The previous three have all ended in defeat but only at the French Open – where he lost to Jannik Sinner – was Djokovic fit, with the 38-year-old forced out by a leg injury after one set against Alexander Zverev in Australia, before another thigh problem hampered him in a second defeat by Sinner at Wimbledon.

It was understandable, then, that Djokovic struck a note of caution ahead of his rematch with Alcaraz, who he beat in the last eight at the Australian Open, despite sustaining the injury that would eventually rule him out.

Speaking after a tense four-set victory over Taylor Fritz on Tuesday night, Djokovic said: “The next couple of days is really key for me to get my body in shape and ready to battle five sets if it’s needed.

“I just would really love that. I know that my best tennis is going to be required, but I’d rise to the occasion. Normally I like to play the big matches on a big stage.

“It’s just that I’m not really sure how the body is going to feel. But I’m going to do my very best with my team to be fit for that.”

The good news for Djokovic is that he had two days off to prepare for the contest, while he has recent positive memories against Alcaraz, having also beaten him to the Olympic gold medal last summer.

The Spaniard has looked in supremely good form in New York, not dropping a set through to the last four, but Djokovic added: “I definitely am not going with a white flag on the court.

“I put myself in another semi-finals of a grand slam this year. I have been very