Carlos Alcaraz declared Novak Djokovic's US Open level "great" but also warned the record 24-time Grand Slam champion that he would be on a mission to "get revenge" in their upcoming match.
In the opening Grand Slam of the year - with Andy Murray as his coach - Djokovic came back from a set down to beat Alcaraz 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 in the Australian Open quarterfinal. At the time, it was regarded as an upset, especially knowing that the Serb battled an injury during the match.
On Tuesday, Alcaraz routed Jiri Lehecka 6-4 6-2 6-4 to reach the last-eight stage at Flushing Meadows. A couple of hours later, Djokovic also got the job done in his US Open quarterfinal match, overcoming No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-4. Now, the second-seeded Spaniard and the seventh-seeded Serb are set to meet for the ninth time in their respective careers.
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Alcaraz: I really want to get my revenge against Djokovic at the US Open
"We all know Novak's games. It doesn't matter that he has been out of the tour since Wimbledon playing great matches here. I know he's hungry. I know his ambition for more. Uh, so let's see... I know he I played a lot of times against him. I really want to revenge," the 22-year-old Spaniard said.
Heading into the match, Djokovic leads the head-to-head 5-3. However, this will be their first encounter on the hard courts of the US Open. The Serb may have a winning head-to-head against the five-time Grand Slam winner but highlights that he is preparing for a very tough challenge.
Hes a spectacle for us. The last time I played against him was in Australia, but the conditions are different here. I hope I can feel my best, playing with the ball, because its necessary to beat someone like Alcaraz," Djokovic said of facing Alcaraz in the US Open semifinal.
