Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz got here from behind to beat Number 11 seed Jannik Sinner within the second longest match within the historical past of the US Open on Wednesday, September 7.
Alcaraz despatched Sinner packing in a five-set thriller 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-7 (0-7), 7-5, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. With the win, Alcaraz stormed into his maiden Grand Slam semi-final and can play native favorite Frances Tiafoe for a spot within the US Open remaining.
we did it! pic.twitter.com/boA34nLFbe
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2022
In the slugfest, the 19-year-old Alcaraz secured the opening set comfortably and nearly held off Sinner within the second set, which ultimately went down the wire because the 21-year-old Sinner saved 4 set factors at 5-6 to drive a tiebreak. It was the Italian who emerged victorious within the tiebreak 9-7 to make it one all. Interestingly, Alcaraz struck 16 winners to 5 unforced errors and nonetheless misplaced the set.
The match heated up within the third set with the extent of play on each ends at Flushing Meadows. However, Sinner constructed on the momentum within the third set. The contest witnessed one other tiebreak, which turned out to be a stroll within the park for the Italian, 7-0.
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Sinner, main 2-1, secured two early video games towards Alcaraz within the fourth set. Alcaraz made a comeback earlier than Sinner ensured a two-game cushion at 3-1. However, Alcaraz by no means went away from the competition as he pushed a fifth set after holding on to the match level and breaking Sinner a number of instances.
Alcaraz then continued his momentum with a fired up efficiency to wrap up the match, which lasted 5 hours and quarter-hour, making it the second-longest contest within the historical past of the year-end main. The gruelling 5 hour and 26 minutes semi-final match between Sweden’s Stefan Edberg and American Michael Chang in 1992 stands because the longest match on the US Open.
Alcaraz was in excellent kind on the US Open as he did not drop a set in his first three rounds. The Spaniard held off the 2014 winner Marin Cilic to enter the Round of 16. With the win, Alcaraz has equalled the head-to-head report towards Sinner 2-2. Earlier, Alcaraz defeated Sinner within the Round of 32 through the 2021 ATP Masters 1000 in Paris earlier than shedding to Sinner on two events this 12 months – Round of 16 at Wimbledon and remaining of the Croatia Open.
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