NEW YORK – Carlos Alcaraz cruised the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday at the Arthur Ashe Stadium and took scenes and rest as mid-term.
No. 2 seed Alcaraz won the first of five majors in 2022 at Flushing Meadows, where he was broken for the first time in the game before winning a medical timeout and massaged his legs by a trainer. Problem solved: Alcaraz rolled around for the rest of the game, never dropped another game and beat No. 32 Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-4, 6-0.
This is the first brief hint from Alcaraz, 22, this week – apart from his brother’s mistake in cutting his hair, which led to a shaved head.
He didn’t let Frances Tiafoe laugh at him, which bothered him, and Alcaraz didn’t seem too worried about what happened to his knee against Darderi, 23-year-old Italian who made his debut in professional seeds.
“I just felt something that didn’t work well on my knees, but after five points, it disappeared,” Alkaraz said. “I’m going to talk to my team, but I’m not worried.”
Apart from that bondage, his game performed well in 1 hour, 44 minutes.
He lost to 31 winners, made only 12 unmandatory mistakes and won 70 of 105 points lasting 4 or less.
“It’s so bad that I met Carlos in the third round because it’s impossible to play against Jennik (the sinner) or Carlos now. They’re two people at a higher level than everyone else,” Dudry said. “Everyone knows that my chances aren’t the highest today.”
Alcaraz faced Arthur Rinderknech in the fourth round, improving his career Grand Slam record to 80-13. Only Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal were a month or two younger when they finished their 80th game in the Grand Slam.
What else happened to the U.S. Open on Friday?
Rinder Knech, ranked 82, made his first fourth round match with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Bonzi won two of his first two games in five sets, including a wild game against 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who was fined $42,500 after being postponed while he was hovering on the court. Emma Raducanu lost 6-1, 6-2 to 9 Elena Rybakina in her best run at Flushing Meadows since the 2021 trophy.
Who’s on the U.S. Open Saturday’s schedule?
Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner were among the players scheduled to play on Saturday.
