NEW YORK – Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic edged closer to a semi-final showdown at the US Open as Aryna Sabalenka avenged the memory of a bitter defeat to power into the last 16.
Spanish second seed Alcaraz and Serbian legend Djokovic both booked their passage into the last 16 with comfortable victories and now stand just two wins away from meeting in the last four.
Alcaraz breezed past Italian 32nd seed Luciano Darderi in emphatic fashion, winning 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 on the Arthur Ashe Stadium while Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, took care of Britain’s Cam Norrie 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-3.
“I’m not an early morning person so it’s difficult for me to wake up in the morning,” Alcaraz said according to AFP. “One of the good things today though I woke up early, did the warm up and felt good.
“Starting at 11:30 my first goal is to start well with a good energy and rhythm. I played great tennis, good performance so I’m proud of that.
Alcaraz needed a medical timeout while leading 5-4 in the second set for treatment on his right knee, but later said he had no injury concerns.
“I just asked the physio to have a look at it because I wanted to be feeling good physically for that last set,” he said. “I’m not worried about it.”
In another game, Czech 20th seed Jiri Lehecka sailed into the next round with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Belgium’s Raphael Collignon.
In the women’s draw, meanwhile, world No 1 and defending champion Sabalenka avenged her 2021 US Open semi-final defeat to Leylah Fernandez with a straight-sets victory over the Canadian 31st seed on Armstrong.
Sabalenka was left distraught after being upset by the unheralded Fernandez four years ago with a place in what would have been her first Grand Slam final there for the taking.
But the 27-year-old from Belarus made sure there was no repeat, seeing off Fernandez 6-3, 7-6 (7/2). Sabalenka’s victory saw her extend her incredible winning streak in tie-breaks to 18.
