In a scintillating day of tennis action at Flushing Meadows, world number one Carlos Alcaraz powered his way into the US Open’s last 16. Meanwhile, second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka cruised through in the women’s draw.
Alcaraz, at just 20 years old, is on a quest to achieve what hasn’t been done in over a decade – successfully defend the US Open title. He demonstrated his prowess by dispatching British 26th seed Dan Evans in a thrilling encounter that lasted 3 hours and 11 minutes. Alcaraz claimed victory with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
The young Spaniard, known for his explosive forehand and jaw-dropping drop shots, kept the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd on the edge of their seats. A highlight reel moment came when Alcaraz unleashed an unbelievable forehand up the line to secure a critical break in the fourth set, giving him a 4-2 lead.
Speaking about his opponent, Alcaraz said, “He’s a tricky opponent. I think when we play each other, it’s a show on the court. We made great points, great shots, a lot of different kinds of situations.”
While Alcaraz acknowledges that he will relinquish his world number one ranking to Novak Djokovic by the end of the tournament, he is driven by the desire to match the legendary Roger Federer’s feat of defending his US Open crown: “Obviously, defending the title is a goal for me. I’m looking for that. Nobody’s done it here since Roger, so I’d love to be part of tournament history with him.”
Alcaraz’s path to a quarter-final rematch against Italy’s Jannik Sinner remains open. Last year, the two engaged in an epic five-hour five-setter, the latest finish in US Open history. Sinner did his part to maintain the possibility of a rematch, defeating Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka with scores of 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, smoothly advanced in her campaign. Her opponent, Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, awaits in the fourth round after a dominating performance against 16th-seeded Briton Cameron Norrie, which Arnaldi sealed with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory in just under two hours.
Arnaldi, a 22-year-old making his mark in Grand Slams, expressed his excitement, saying, “It was a bit crazy. I’m a bit speechless. But I think I played really, really well. I mean, we planned to do what I did, and it worked for the entire match.”
Meanwhile, British tennis saw a rising star in Jack Draper, who reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time. Draper secured a 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over American world No. 89 Michael Mmoh, a sweet redemption after an injury forced him to withdraw at the same stage last year.
Draper’s next challenge is set against the eighth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev, who advanced by defeating France’s Arthur Rinderknech 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5.
As the US Open action unfolds, these athletes continue to captivate tennis fans worldwide with their skill, determination, and quest for glory. Stay tuned for more thrilling matches and exciting moments! #USOpen #Tennis #Alcaraz #Sabalenka #GrandSlamhttps://www.sportiwe.com/ #SportiWe #BeSportiWe #MatchMeetPlay
