Alcaraz Finds Imperious Best To March Past Lehecka And Into Us Open Semi-finals

It took conscionable 7 minutes for Carlos Alcaraz to recognise that he was having different 1 of those days wherever he could do immoderate he wanted pinch a tennis ball. Up a crippled constituent successful his opening work game, nan Spaniard skipped astir nan shot from acold down nan baseline successful his backhand area and attempted nan riskiest changeable possible, unleashing a ­remarkable forehand winner.

This would not beryllium nan past clip that nan Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd collectively gasped astatine Alcaraz’s greatness arsenic he continued to radiate assurance and calm successful New York, effortlessly moving into nan semi-finals pinch a comfortable 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 triumph complete Jiri Lehecka.

This tourney has further underscored nan easiness and assurance surrounding Alcaraz’s tennis. Having reached nan finals of his past 7 tournaments while starring nan circuit pinch 59 lucifer wins and six titles, this is nan astir accordant agelong of nan 22-year-old’s profession and he has played pinch full state complete nan past 10 days. He has now reached a expansive slam semi-final without dropping a group for nan first clip successful his career.

Still, Alcaraz began nan lucifer afloat conscious of nan truth that Lehecka represented his toughest force truthful acold and things could beryllium different. The talented 23-year-old has been connected nan verge of breaking done for immoderate time. He is equipped pinch a powerful first service and a destructive forehand. At nan Qatar Open successful February, nan Czech toppled Alcaraz successful 3 sets.

Carlos Alcaraz serves to Jiri Lehecka successful beforehand of a ample Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. Photograph: Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty Images

This time, Alcaraz group nan reside instantly by breaking Lehecka’s service successful nan opening game. Across astir 2 hours, he ne'er fto up. Alcaraz served spectacularly well, marching done his work games, his assortment of changeable starkly contrasted pinch Lehecka’s one-note attack. His defence made nan tribunal look truthful constrictive for his challenger.

After 2 convincing sets, wherever Alcaraz collapsed successful nan opening work crippled and ne'er looked back, nan 3rd group peculiarly demonstrated his growth. Lehecka played his champion group of nan match, moving done his ain work games and putting unit connected Alcaraz.

In nan past, nan Alcaraz whitethorn person mislaid attraction and recovered himself tussling some his force and himself. On this occasion, nan infinitesimal nan Lehecka began to show nerves, he pounced. At 4-4, alternatively of searching for a highlight-reel winner, Alcaraz locked down his game, making heavy returns and offering up nary free errors. He collapsed Lehecka’s service pinch a spectacular protect effort, celebrating pinch a roar.

Even for Alcaraz, who continues to heap up large titles astatine a faster complaint than anyone other successful nan world, his caller ratio has been striking. He has ever been prone to melodramatic moments of self-sabotage. The adjacent measurement successful Alcaraz’s profession was learning really to execute much consistently, allowing him to sphere his intelligence and beingness power for his biggest rivals. As he moves person to a imaginable sixth expansive slam title, his advancement is undeniable.