India, Sept. 6 -- Age is just a number, but it was totally visible during Novak Djokovic's 2025 US Open semifinal defeat against Carlos Alcaraz, in New York on Saturday. The Serbian ace, who is already 38 years old, was a distant reflection of his glory days, when he was the fittest player in the ATP circuit. Alcaraz, who is 22, was superior in all aspects and took advantage of Djokovic's ageing fitness, often toying with him in a 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 victory.

It was perfect revenge for the Spaniard as he avenged his recent losses to Djokovic at this year's 2024 Australian Open and 2024 Paris Olympics. The age factor has been a huge weakness for Djokovic this season, as he has had to battle fitness issues and has also spoken about retirement...