NEW YORK – Carlos Alcaraz hit a behind-the-scenes shot at the US Open to win Sunday with a 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-4 victory at Arthur Lindeckneck, bringing the Spaniards to the 13th Grand Slam Quarter Final during the Open era.
“Sometimes, I practice it. I’m not going to lie,” second seed Alkaraz said of the magic bit he delivered in the first set. “But I don’t practice it over and over again. I don’t practice it over and over again. In fact, I try it if I get the chance. It’s the same in a match. If I get the chance, why don’t I do that?”
At 22 years and 3 months, Alcaraz is about six months younger than Boris Becker when he arrived at No. 13 in the Major Quarter Finals.
Alkaraz’s opponent on Tuesday will be 23-year-old Jiri Lehecca from the Czech Republic. Lehecca won Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (4), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to advance to his second slam quarterfinals.
Alcaraz and Lehecka have played three times, with Alcaraz having a 2-1 advantage. They have never met in their majors.
“He’s one of the two biggest challenges in tennis right now,” Lehecca said. “He’s moving very well. He can serve big. He knows everything. His game is complete. …For me, I’m trying to stick to the weapons I have, the weapons that worked for me in these last two matchups.”
Early on with Linderneck, a Frenchman who played college tennis at Texas A&M, Alcaraz closed the hold of love, which scored two in an epic way. Moving to the right on the midcourt, Alkaraz noticed what seemed like a bad place when Linderneck went on his wrong foot.
However, Alcaraz wrapped his racket around his body and fired the line.
Surprisingly, Linderneck, who was probably not finished, hit a volley that landed on the net. Alcaraz’s faces crossed as he watched his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in the stands. Alkaraz then placed his right index finger behind his ear.
“People like that. I like playing tennis this way,” Alcaraz said. “My tennis style fits pretty well with the energy here.”
Alcaraz has incorporated the set into a tiebreaker. Then, midway through the second, Alcaraz produced an effort worthy of another highlight with an unappealing winner, reaching a short ball and glimpsed the line as if he was about to hit a Linderneck backhand, but instead piloted a forehand crosscoat.
By the final game, even Linderneck was smiling at Alkaraz’s other next level strokes. Alcaraz has won 54 of his 55 service games in four games this year with the Flushing Meadows and has yet to drop a set. He claimed the first title of five Grand Slam Trophy in 2022.
Alcaraz is caught up in the fourth major quarterfinals of 2025. For the first time in his career, he went 4-4 in that category in the season. He lost to Novak Djokovic at that stage at the Australian Open in January, won the French Open in June, and lost to No.1 Janik Sinner in the final at Wimbledon in July.
Alcaraz currently has 34 of his last 35 tour-level matches, including 10 consecutive wins since his defeat at Wimbledon. His victory Sunday was the 21st at the US Open, third-highest in his first five appearances at the New York Major during the opening days. The only other ones are John McEnroe (28) and Lleyton Hewitt (23).
ESPN research and Associated Press contributed to this report.
