Alcaraz Maintains Strong Form, While Women’s Draw Sees Major Upsets
While the men at the U.S. Open continued their steady progress, Monday turned out to be a manic day for the women’s side, as several upsets reshaped the draw. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, currently the world number one, showcased his superb form and advanced to the last eight with a comfortable victory over Italian Matteo Arnaldi, winning 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
Alcaraz’s performance was characterized by intensity from the first point to the last, as he aims to become the first man to successfully defend his U.S. Open title since Roger Federer in 2008. Joining him in the quarter-finals were third seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev, eighth seed Andrey Rublev, and 12th seed Alexander Zverev.
On the women’s side, the trophy chase saw a dramatic shift following a series of stunning results. The upheaval began with defending champion Iga Swiatek’s defeat to Jelena Ostapenko in a thrilling match that ended 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. The chaos continued into Monday’s play, with Jessica Pegula, the U.S. third seed, being defeated by compatriot Madison Keys, a 2017 finalist.
The upsets didn’t stop there, as Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, known as the ‘Minister of Happiness,’ fell 6-2, 6-4 to China’s Zheng Qinwen. Jabeur had hoped to become the first Arab and African woman to win a major and secure the Grand Slam title that had eluded her in the last two Wimbledon finals and last year’s U.S. Open. However, a respiratory illness had left her struggling to breathe during the tournament, ultimately impacting her performance.
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka managed to restore some order by defeating Russian 13th seed Daria Kasatkina with a clinical score of 6-1, 6-3. Sabalenka, who will soon take the top spot in the rankings, played with the precision and dominance expected from a world number one.
In a separate match, Peyton Stearns of the United States initially looked poised to deliver another shock as she took the opening set from Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova. However, the ninth-seeded Czech player recovered to secure a 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Among the men, Russians Medvedev and Rublev both advanced with workmanlike four-set wins. Medvedev, in particular, managed to complete his match against Australian Alex de Minaur with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2, marking an “early” finish compared to his previous late-night matches.
Rublev, on the other hand, dispatched the last British player, Jack Draper, with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The win sets up an intriguing showdown between the two friends, with Rublev serving as the godfather to Medvedev’s daughter.
The final match on Arthur Ashe featured sixth-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner and 12th-seeded German Alexander Zverev. Played in sweltering conditions, the nearly five-hour marathon became a test of both skills and willpower, with both players battling cramps as well as each other. In the end, Zverev, the 2020 finalist, emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
The match was briefly interrupted when Zverev demanded the removal of a spectator who had yelled “the most famous Hitler phrase.” Security identified and removed the individual from the stadium.
