These electrifying quarterfinal matches simply brighten up with the fireworks in New York for the semifinal round. An enthralling tussle pitched between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz saw one lead by an inch; Aryna Sabalenka never even stepped an inch on court before moving on.
Djokovic Routs Fritz in Four Sets
As always, Novak Djokovic, 38, proved himself to be the best under pressure from most parts of the match, with Taylor Fritz fading before a final push to the Serb's 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. This was probably one great match, whereby Fritz took a set against Djokovic, but crucial returns and pneumatic movement snatched the challenge in favor of the Serbian.
Thus, he has now become a semifinalist for the 14th time here at the US Open, matching that tournament record against an unblemished head-to-head record of 11-0 in his favor against Fritz. Not that he was wholly on his side, but pressure caressed him in a very stormy environment. He was trying to send some signals of humor through gestures toward fans, which almost translated to, "I am the one who owns the big stage."
Djokovic expressed, "Each match is a new match," adding that he still feels some discomfort, but it's sealed for a final sprint.
Alcaraz Blasts by Lehecka
In carrying the whole rage of one on a mission, Carlos Alcaraz blasted Jiri Lehecka with 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in a confined time of slightly beyond two hours. The Spaniard was blinding speed, power, and touch all held in one secure ball, leaving any poor Czech really chasing his tail. Besides, Alcaraz has ensured to be a semifinalist in this tournament without dropping a single match.
One step closer to becoming the first man to win the US Open with no sets dropped. That was something Alcaraz chuckled even more about, imagining how records were broken. "Of course, I think about rankings and records sometimes. But when I step on court, it's only about the next point."
Sabalenka into Semifinals On a Walkover
It was just somewhat anticlimactic for Aryna Sabalenka to find herself in the semifinals compared to all these brawls. The defending champion would have been up against Marketa Vondrousova, who withdrew because of a knee injury, leaving Sabalenka to advance.
The fans might lose this classic clash of fighting styles, but right now, Sabalenka is through to face Jessica Pegula after a rather comfortable win over Barbora Krejcikova to reach the semifinals. Well, that pretty much puts a chuckle in the Belarusian's mouth for this extra bit of rest with that amazing, hard-hitting style and fearlessness.
That, consequently, takes Novak Djokovic straight into the semifinals against Carlos Alcaraz in the men's draw, while Sabalenka versus Pegula shapes up the much-anticipated continuation of their rivalry from last year's final. Fireworks above the Flushing Meadows. The stage is set for drama!