Carlos Alcaraz lit up the U.S. Open on Tuesday, storming into the semifinals before Novak Djokovic followed with a show of his own to set up another chapter in their generational rivalry in New York.
The 2022 champion was at his dazzling best under the sun at Arthur Ashe Stadium, sweeping past 20th-seeded Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Alcaraz has yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows this year, his flair and precision once again electrifying the crowd and underlining his status as Djokovic’s chief challenger.
“Sometimes I play a shot that I should not play in that moment, but it’s the way I love playing tennis,” said Alcaraz, who is two wins away from taking the world No. 1 spot from Italian rival Jannik Sinner, told Sky Sports.
“I want to play solid, play well and play smart, but at the same time, when I have the opportunity to play a great shot – or a hot shot, let’s say – why not?
“I’m here to entertain the people, myself and the team.”
Djokovic topped the bill in a shortened evening session after women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka received a walkover when Marketa Vondrousova withdrew because of a knee injury. The Belarusian will face Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.
Djokovic, chasing a 25th Grand Slam title to move above Margaret Court on the all-time list, beat American Taylor Fritz 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 and celebrated the win by performing a dance for his daughter on her birthday.
Fritz has now lost 11 straight to the 38-year-old Serb, who became the oldest player in the professional era, since 1968, to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slams in a single season.
Alcaraz is 16 years Djokovic’s junior but faces a tough test in his pursuit of a sixth Grand Slam title, having lost five of his eight matches against the Serb. The Spaniard has dropped his last two – in the Australian Open quarterfinals this year and in last year’s Paris Olympics final, a clash that left both players in tears for different reasons.
“I’d love to be fit enough to play, and to play potentially five sets with Carlos. I know that my best tennis is going to be required, but I’d rise to the occasion,” Djokovic said.
“Normally I like to play the big matches on a big stage. It’s just that I’m not really sure how the body is going to feel in the next few days. But I’m going to do my best with my team to be fit for that.”
The top ranking is also on the line for Alcaraz at the end of the tournament, but he was trying not to dwell on it.
“If I think about the world No. 1 spot too much, I’m going to put pressure on myself, and I don’t want to do that,” Alcaraz said.
“I just want to step on court, try to do my things, follow my goals and try to enjoy as much as I can.”
Sabalenka advanced after Vondrousova was forced to withdraw despite earlier upset victories over No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini and No. 9 Elena Rybakina.
The 26-year-old has endured lengthy spells on the sidelines in recent years and was one of three Czech women to reach the Flushing Meadows quarterfinals. It was a bitter blow for Czech fans who had hoped for another upset in New York but were left stunned when she pulled up injured in a practice session.
“We saw her crying,” said Helena Plavcova, 54, a fan from Connecticut with Czech roots. “I’m so sorry for her.”
Sabalenka, who had defeated the 60th-ranked Czech in their most recent clash in the Cincinnati second round last month, now meets Pegula in a rematch of last year’s final.
The American dispatched two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 6-3 to get the day’s action underway.
Her compatriot Venus Williams bowed out of the tournament after she and Canadian partner Leylah Fernandez were outclassed by top seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-2 in the women’s doubles quarterfinals.
