NEW YORK, Sep 3: Even if Carlos Alcaraz was by no means perfect during a victory in the US Open’s third round on Saturday – he dropped a set, after all – the defending champion produced enough bits of brilliance to keep himself smiling and prompt his opponent, Dan Evans, to chuck his racket a couple of times.
Less than 12 hours after the man he’s expected to meet next weekend for the title, Novak Djokovic, needed to fashion a comeback from a two-set deficit to win, Alcaraz progressed to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the third consecutive year by beating the 26th-seeded Evans 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Alcaraz, the No. 1 seed, showed off a variety of his considerable collection of skills, generating the sorts of highlights that both he and his fans have come to expect. Alcaraz was by no means perfect during a 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory over the 26th-seeded Dan Evans in the US Open’s third round on Saturday – there was that wayward set, after all – but the defending champion produced enough moments of brilliance to keep himself smiling and his many fans in New York roaring in approval.
To hear the No. 1-seeded Alcaraz explain it, “a lot of different” possibilities enter his mind in the midst of a point – “the dropshot, big forehand, go to the net, multiple things” – before he selects which stroke to try. It can make things “difficult” on occasion, he said.
“Most of the time, I find the right one,” the Spaniard said, “but sometimes I struggle to hit good shots because of that.” His opponent in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday noticed.
“If anything, he probably plays too many shots,” Evans said.
“He let me out of jail a few times playing the wrong shot, which was good for me.” But there also were those “How did he do that?!” highlights that Alcaraz conjures up with frequency.
One in particular helped swing Saturday’s match his way for good. Evans was seemingly in control of what would become a 12-stroke point, sending Alcaraz scrambling to his left for a defensive backhand.
On his follow-through, Alcaraz stumbled a bit, nearly tumbling to the blue court. But he gathered himself and quickly switched direction, sprinting to his right with seven lengthy strides before sliding wide of the doubles alley as he flicked a down-the-line forehand.
Next for Alcaraz is a matchup against Matteo Arnaldi, a 22-year-old from Italy who is ranked 61st. Arnaldi, who had won a grand total of one Grand Slam match before this tournament, reached the fourth round by eliminating No. 16 seed Cameron Norrie of Britain 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.
Rybakina falls to Cirstea
Elena Rybakina was knocked out of the US Open on Friday night by Sorana Cirstea, at No. 4 becoming the highest-seeded women to be eliminated thus far.
The No. 30-seeded Cirstea won 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4 to reach the fourth round in Flushing Meadows for the first time.
Rybakina was also seeking to reach the last 16 at the US Open for the first time.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion from Kazakhstan had high hopes after her strong results on hard courts earlier this year, reaching the Australian Open final, winning the title at Indian Wells and then getting to the final in Miami.
But after getting a walkover in the second round when Ajla Tomljanovic had to withdraw with a knee injury, Rybakina was not sharp in her first match since Monday.
She committed 56 unforced errors to 30 winners and had her serve broken six times.
Pegula outlasts Svitolina
Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys kept noticing their names near each other in tournament draws this summer.
At the US Open, they finally will. Pegula beat Elina Svitolina 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 on Saturday, setting up a fourth-round matchup against the No. 17-seeded Keys. Pegula, the No. 3 seed, is still trying to advance beyond the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament. First, she’ll have to get by the 2017 runner-up in Flushing Meadows who also needed three sets to move on.Keys came back to eliminate No. 14 Liudmila Samsonova 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.Ons Jabeur, the No. 5 seed who lost in the finals last year, also reached the fourth round by outlasting No. 31 Marie Bouzkova 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match that took 2 hours, 56 minutes. Jabeur will face No. 23 Zheng Qinwen of China. (AP)
