Carlos Alcaraz is proving why many consider him the future of men’s tennis. The world No. 2 breezed into the last 16 of the US Open without dropping a set, most recently dismantling Italy’s Lucas Darderi 6-2, 6-4, 6-0, Tennis 365 reported. His performances have drawn praise from former champion Mats Wilander, who declared the Spaniard “the man to beat” this year.
https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/mats-wilander-names-sharp-carlos-alcaraz-man-to-beat-us-open-snubbing-jannik-sinner
The 21-year-old has been on fire all season, with 30 wins in his last 31 matches. His only loss was in the Wimbledon final against Sinner. But despite Sinner being the US Open champion and unbeaten in sets so far, Wilander thinks Alcaraz looks sharper and more focused in New York.
As per Tennis 365, Alcaraz will next face world No. 82 Arthur Rinderknech. While the Spaniard has beaten the Frenchman in all three of their previous meetings, two of those encounters went the distance, showing that Rinderknech can pose problems with his big serve and aggressive net play.
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What Mats Wilander said about Carlos Alcaraz
Wilander told TNT Sports, “Alcaraz is playing extremely well.”
“He’s unbelievably focused, the movement is just so good it seems impossible to hit the ball past him. His forehand, he said himself is not perfect, to me it looks pretty perfect, and he is serving well. Early in the tournament, for once, he looks like the man to beat,” Wilander added.
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Learning from past mistakes
Part of Alcaraz’s focus this year comes from disappointment in 2024. Despite being a former US Open champion, he was knocked out early by Botic van de Zandschulp last season. That defeat has stayed with him, and he has spoken openly about using it as motivation to be more disciplined at Flushing Meadows this year, TNT Sports reported.
For Mats Wilander, there is no doubt. In his eyes, Alcaraz is not just in the mix, he is the benchmark at this year’s US Open.
FAQs
1. Has Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open before?
Yes, Alcaraz won the US Open in 2022.
2. Who is Jannik Sinner, and why is he considered Carlos Alcaraz’s rival?
Jannik Sinner is the defending US Open champion. His matches against Alcaraz are the most talked about in modern tennis.
3. Can Arthur Rinderknech cause an upset against Carlos Alcaraz?
Rinderknech has taken Alcaraz to 3 sets before with his serve and net play. But Alcaraz is the favorite given his form and head-to-head record.
