Alcaraz Advances to US Open Quarterfinals with Commanding Victory

On Sunday, Frances Tiafoe, Alex Michelsen, and Ben Shelton all advanced to the quarter-finals, enhancing American hopes of securing their first men’s Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick claimed the New York title in 2003.

Tiafoe thrilled spectators with an exciting victory over 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev, recovering from a set point in the third-set tie-break before completing a 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) triumph to preserve his unblemished record on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The American has now won all 10 of his matches on the US Open’s secondary show court, marking only his second victory in eight meetings against the Russian star.

A two-time semi-finalist in New York, Tiafoe will next face Michelsen after the 22-year-old defeated Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-4 to reach his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final.

Shelton, meanwhile, defeated Tsitsipas in under two hours to join his compatriots in the last eight.

Former world number three Tsitsipas had been experiencing a resurgence at Flushing Meadows, having defeated tenth and eighteenth seeds Arthur Fils and Jiri Lehecka respectively, during his first fourth-round appearance at a Grand Slam in over two years.

Tsitsipas’ elimination signifies the first year since 1877 that a player with a one-handed backhand has failed to reach a major semi-final in men’s singles.

In men’s doubles action, Britain’s Henry Patten and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara, the top seeds, progressed to the third round following a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi and Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.

British ninth seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash secured a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 win against Czech pair Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl, while Joe Salisbury and his American partner Rajeev Ram mounted a comeback to defeat France’s Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (11-9), 6-4.

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