Nadal enters his title defence after a stellar season on his favourite surface.
Alcaraz also found a surprising source of joy and mental training on the green: golf!
The unpredictable nature of the 2024 US Open has turned it into one of the most thrilling Grand Slam tournaments in recent memory.
Tsitsipas had lost all five previous matches against the Russian, but turned the tables in impressive fashion.
German seventh seed Alexander Zverev recovered from a slow start to beat former champion Stan Wawrinka 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the Australian Open on Wednesday to reach his first career Grand Slam semi-final. Swiss Wawrinka, who won the first of his three Grand Slams at Melbourne Park in 2014, broke Zverev twice early in the opening set to breeze through the opening set but the 22-year-old German came roaring back into the contest.
For the second time in three days at the ATP Finals, Rafael Nadal fought off one of the game's rising powers but beating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas proved in vain as his semi-final hopes vanished on Friday.
Friday's showdown will be the 40th meeting between the duo with Rafael Nadal leading 24-15 and 10-3 in Grand Slams.
'The world is suffering in general, so we can't complain'
Rafael Nadal had just beaten rising Greek force Stefanos Tsitsipas in a classic scrap at the ATP Finals but had no idea whether it was good enough to keep him in the tournament.
The 12-time French Open champion unhappy with schedule.
Nadal's participation in the season-ending Tour finals hung in the balance when the Spaniard pulled out of the Paris Masters
Ashleigh Barty lifted the season-ending WTA Finals trophy and led Australia to their first Fed Cup final since 1993, while Nadal won his 4th ITF Award for winning two Slams this season.
Singles wins for Botic Van de Zandschulp and Tallon Griekspoor sparked a party amongst an army of orange-clad Dutch fans inside the Jose Maria Martin Carpena arena.
'I played a good match, maybe he was a little bit tired from New York (where) he played an amazing tournament.'
'I understand it's a show, but under the roof we need to be a little bit more strict about the noise. All the noise stays inside, and this is difficult.'
Rewarding as it was for Rafael Nadal to become the only player to win the same Grand Slam 12 times by chalking up his dozen at last month's French Open, the Spaniard arrived at Wimbledon this year like a man on a mission. In the end, however, it became mission impossible as he lost to inspired Roger Federer in Friday's blockbuster semi-final.
It was the best match of Wimbledon's opening week as, amongst the expected histrionics, both men hit the heights with some relentlessly powerful and accurate serving in particular.
Djokovic looked in fine nick in Shanghai, playing with consistency throughout the tournament to reach his fifth final at the ATP Masters 1000 event
Rafael Nadal claimed a record-stretching 12th French Open title by beating Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in a repeat of last year's final on Sunday.
After all, he has been champion there twice, is bang in form after a record-stretching 12th French Open, is injury free and last year was a whisker away from reaching the final.
'It's a positive start with a good result. If I do months without playing an official match, it's always a little bit more difficult.'
Rafael Nadal fired hosts Spain into the Davis Cup final as he joined Feliciano Lopez to win a thrilling late-night doubles and seal a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Britain on Saturday.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal remains on course for an 11th Monte Carlo Masters title after beating Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-1 in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Images from Day 1 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday.
A marauding Rafael Nadal ended Stefanos Tsitsipas's trailblazing run at the Australian Open on Thursday, thrashing the 20-year-old Greek in a 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 masterclass to reach a fifth final at Melbourne Park.
A Sela double-fault secured Nadal the break of serve he needed in the first set and Nadal moved two sets clear with a punishing forehand return.
Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final to win a 24th Grand Slam singles title and equal Margaret Court's record haul.
Djokovic saved a fifth match point but Thiem finally got the job done when he forced his opponent to float a defensive forehand over the baseline.
'When we play against Djokovic, many times we didn't know exactly what we had to do. This is more difficult, for me. I prefer to play against Federer'
Nadal is bidding for his second title in his 15th appearance at Melbourne Park
The World No 1 told reporters on Friday that his strong performances this season -- including clinching yet another Roland Garros title in June -- have given him momentum heading into the fourth major of the year next week.
World number two Rafael Nadal has been named in Spain's squad for their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final against Germany in Valencia next month.
Novak Djokovic's journey to the podium was fuelled by unwavering determination and the unwavering support of his young daughter, Tara.
India's top-ranked tennis player Sumit Nagal was ousted by Pedro Cachin of Argentina in the pre-quarter-finals of the Braunschweig ATP Challenger, in Braunschweig, Germany, on Wednesday.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal won on Saturday to set up an Italian Open final meeting
Nadal and Williams headline party for all ages at US Open
IMAGES from the Australian Open final played on Sunday
Rafael Nadal does not expect to return to play competitive tennis until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has decimated much of this year's calendar. The World No 2 said he has practically written off the remainder of the year and is looking to the Australian Open in January 2021 as the next tournament he will play.
17 is an incredible number. I want to enjoy the moment, says Nadal, who also admits he thought he would have retired by now.
Rafael Nadal's decision to skip the US Open because of health concerns has added another twist to the intriguing three-way battle for the most career men's Grand Slam titles and, in many eyes, the title of Greatest Of All Time (GOAT). Had the 34-year-old Spaniard managed to retain the title he won in a five-set thriller against Daniil Medvedev last year, he would have joined Roger Federer at the top of the list with 20 titles. Instead, his decision has cleared the path for 33-year-old Novak Djokovic to edge to within one of Nadal's Grand Slam tally with a fourth title at Flushing Meadows and 18 in total.
