New York (AFP) – Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic motored into the quarter-finals of the US Open on Sunday as reigning women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka kept her title defence firmly on track. Spanish second seed Alcaraz and tennis icon Djokovic — who are on course to meet in the semi-finals — both recorded straight-sets wins on the Arthur Ashe Stadium main court.
Five-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz overpowered France’s Arthur Rinderknech 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-4 and has not dropped a set to date at the championships. “I think my style of tennis suits pretty well the energy here in New York,” the 22-year-old said. “The energy is special playing the day session, playing the night session. It doesn’t matter, people are always there. I love it and I think that’s why I play my best tennis here,” he added. Alcaraz will face Czech 20th seed Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals on Tuesday. Lehecka reached the last eight of a Grand Slam for only the second time after battling past veteran Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, winning 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
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Djokovic, 38, continued his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title with a brisk 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 defeat of unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff. “It definitely helps if you serve well. I think I had a great serving performance last round and also tonight,” said Djokovic. “That helps make it easier on the court.” Djokovic faces a quarter-final on Tuesday against fourth seed Taylor Fritz, the lone American man left in the draw. Fritz sprinted into the last eight with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 defeat of the Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac in 1hr 38min. Fritz is carrying hopes of being the first US men’s Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick in 2003 following the exits of fellow seeds Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe.
But Fritz will head into his quarter-final against Djokovic with history stacked against him. Djokovic has won all 10 of their past meetings, including a 2023 quarter-final win at the US Open. “I think the first, almost like seven or eight times I played him, I probably just wasn’t a good enough player to really have that much of a chance,” said Fritz. “I think only the last couple times we’ve played I think I’ve been this just better player that can, you know, I’d say compete and have chances.”
**- Sabalenka balance -** In the women’s draw, Sabalenka never looked troubled in a 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Moldova-born Spaniard Cristina Bucsa, ranked 95th in the world. Sabalenka has now reached the quarter-finals or better at 12 straight Grand Slam tournaments, a consistency she attributes to striking a balance in her life on and off the court. “I’m super proud, I think that’s an incredible achievement,” Sabalenka said. “I think for me the key was balancing on and off-the-court life. I think I’ve done a great job on balancing really hard work and also great recovery and some fun time outside of tennis court. I think that’s been the key.”
Sabalenka faces a quarter-final against the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, who upset ninth seed Elena Rybakina 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the late game on Arthur Ashe. In other women’s draw action on Sunday, another Czech, unseeded former French Open and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, conjured a remarkable escape to oust Taylor Townsend, saving an incredible eight match points before digging out a 1-6, 7-6 (15/13), 6-3 victory.
Krejcikova fought off a match point on her own serve at 5-4 down in the second set, and then somehow survived seven match points in an enthralling tie-breaker to move on. “What a match,” said Krejcikova, who revealed she had wondered if she would ever play tennis again after missing the opening months of the season with a back injury. “I was sidelined for six months and didn’t know if I would ever play again. I’m super happy I can be here.” Krejcikova will face American fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals. Pegula, beaten in the final last year, advanced to the last eight after breezing past compatriot Ann Li 6-1, 6-2 on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
© 2024 AFP
