Former No. 1 Justine Henin believes Novak Djokovic is benefiting from his new rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz.

With the US Open underway, it's no secret what matchup in the final fans want to see — one between Djokovic and Alcaraz. The pair's new rivalry has quickly become the defining one of the sport today, especially after their recent Wimbledon and Cincinnati Open finals.

Overall, the duo have played each four times with their head-to-head record standing at 2-2 and with both players also having wins against each other in a Grand Slam. The tennis world could be in store for a fifth meeting should they both reach the final in Flushing Meadows.

The rivalry is all the more unique considering Djokovic is the last of the Big Three and 16 years the senior of Alcaraz. And as Djokovic enters the “final phase” of his career, Henin believes the rivalry has given the 23-time Grand Slam winner a new burst of energy.

“He always wants more, but how can he not be serene? He has dominated men’s tennis for years,” Henin told Eurosport. “This new rivalry [vs Alcaraz] is good for him. He went for the record at Roland Garros, which was a huge moment of peace. There were tears at Wimbledon because you always want to win another title.

“But it feeds off that and this final in Cincinnati…you couldn’t ask for a better rivalry. That gives him new energy as he enters the final phase of his career.”

Djokovic and Alcaraz are already going at it without playing each other as they've once again exchanged the No. 1 ranking. All Djokovic had to do to regain top spot was win once which he did against Alexandre Muller in his opening round match on Monday.

It was notably the Serbian superstar's first US Open match since 2021 when he lost the final to Russia's Daniil Medvedev. Despite the loss that night, it was a memorable occasion for Djokovic as the crowd showed him plenty of love and support during the match.

“Coming back to New York, where he has experienced so many emotions in recent years and felt the love of the public [vs Medvedev] is great for him,” Henin added.

Djokovic will play Bernabe Zapata Miralles next in the US Open while a potential third-round meeting with compatriot Laslo Djere could be on the cards.