Carlos Alcaraz makes an honest confession after latest US Open win
Carlos Alcaraz felt like he was tested for the first time when he faced Lloyd Harris in the second round of the US Open.
Alcaraz saw his first round match cut short when his opponent retired with an ankle injury but this time out he was made to work a bit harder for the result.
Alcaraz cruised through the first two sets despite suffering the occasional problem from the South African’s power before going a break down in the third.
He would rally to restore parity and take the set and the match in a tiebreak.
“I played a great match from the beginning of the match until the last ball,” Alcaraz said. “If I have to pick out something I think I played a good second set without many mistakes and playing my game.”
Alcaraz fell behind 4-2 in the third set but was able to raise his game when it mattered.
Harris created plenty of opportunities to turn the match around, generating ten break points in all, but Alcaraz’s clutch game was on point as he pulled out the save on nine of them.
When the Spaniard was broken he would find an immediate response breaking right back and holding to make it 4-4.
“I did have a bad game in the third set when I got broken and I had to forget it,” Alcaraz said. “I stayed strong mentally and played a great return game to break back. It was very important for me to get another straight-sets win in the first rounds.”
Alcaraz already knows what to expect from his next opponent, who will play in a markedly different fashion to the big-hitting baseline game of Harris.
The top seed will face Great Britain’s Dan Evans in the third round and expects to see the Washington champion charging the net early and often.
If Alcaraz gets his returns zeroed in, it could be a very short day for Evans.
“He’s a really tough player. Good serve and volley, good net game,” Alcaraz said in assessing Evans.
“I will have to return very, very well if I want to win that match.”
Results from day four of the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center on Thursday (x denotes seed):
Men
2nd rd
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP x1) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4)
Dan Evans (GBR x26) bt Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3
Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) bt Arthur Fils (FRA) 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-4
Cameron Norrie (GBR x16) bt Hsu Yu-hsiou (TPE) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4
Alexander Zverev (GER x12) bt Daniel Altmaier (GER) 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x19) bt Andy Murray (GBR) 6-3, 6-4, 6-1
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) bt Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG x30) 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 6-2
Jannik Sinner (ITA x6) bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
Daniil Medvedev (RUS x3) bt Christopher O’Connell (AUS) 6-2, 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2
Sebastian Baez (ARG) bt Felipe Meligeni Alves (BRA) 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-4 – retired
Nicolas Jarry (CHI x23) bt Alex Michelsen (USA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Alex de Minaur (AUS x13) bt Wu Yibing (CHN) 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
Michael Mmoh (USA) bt John Isner (USA) 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-6 (10/7)
Jack Draper (GBR) bt Hubert Hurkacz (POL x17) 6-2, 6-4, 7-5
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) bt Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 6-4, 5-3 – retired
Andrey Rublev (RUS x8) bt Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Women
2nd rd
Katie Boulter (GBR) bt Wang Yafan (CHN) 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
Peyton Stearns (USA) bt Clara Tauson (DEN) 6-3, 6-0
Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x22) bt Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 6-1, 6-3
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x9) bt Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-2, 6-2
Liudmila Samsonova (RUS x14) bt Tamara Korpatsch (GER) 6-3, 6-3
Madison Keys (USA x17) bt Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 6-1, 6-2
Elina Svitolina (UKR x26) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
Jessica Pegula (USA x3) bt Patricia Tig (ROU) 6-3, 6-1
Ons Jabeur (TUN x5) bt Linda Noskova (CZE) 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 6-3
Marie Bouzkova (CZE x31) bt Petra Martic (CRO) 6-1, 6-2
Zheng Qinwen (CHN x23) bt Kaia Kanepi (EST) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) bt Eva Lys (GER) 6-3, 6-2
Daria Kasatkina (RUS x13) bt Sofia Kenin (USA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Greet Minnen (BEL) bt Sachia Vickery (USA) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Clara Burel (FRA) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x25) 6-4, 6-2
Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x2) bt Jodie Burrage (GBR) 6-3, 6-2
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