On the Bright Side, the Semis Have to Be More Interesting
Quarterfinals Recap
The men’s quarterfinals came and went in fairly unspectacular fashion. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz cruised through with dominant victories, while Félix Auger-Aliassime and Novak Djokovic had to grind through cagey, uncomfortable four-set wins.
Alcaraz vs. Lehecka
Carlos Alcaraz made light work of Jiri Lehecka, winning in straight sets in under two hours. Lehecka wasn’t awful, but he simply doesn’t have the level to push Alcaraz. The former US Open champion even found time on his day off to beat Sergio Garcia and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in a scramble, though he was spotted 18 strokes. Even though it wasn’t tennis, it likely provided more of an opportunity to prepare for holding your nerves in big moments than Lehecka provided.
Djokovic vs. Fritz
The best match of the four came when Novak Djokovic faced Taylor Fritz. For a moment, Fritz looked like he might finally get his first win against Djokovic, he had a chance to push the match to a fifth set. Djokovic looked on the brink physically during the tail end of the fourth set, the match had become physical, with many backhand to backhand baseline rallies and long drawn out service games. But after having game point, Fritz double faulted on match point, as he was trying to level the fourth set at 5-5. Djokovic was lucky to escape in four, if the match had gone to a fifth, even if he would have been able to pull it out, would have completely drained him physically, not want you want ahead of a matchup with Carlos Alcaraz.
Auger-Aliassime vs. De Minaur
On the second day, Felix Auger-Aliassime rallied from a set down to defeat Alex de Minaur. De Minaur is now 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals (he may be the new Rublev) and this one slipped away 7-6 in the fourth set after more than four hours of play. The match was tense throughout, though neither player was at their best. It was four hours of grinding, mediocre tennis with huge stakes attached.
For Felix, though, this fortnight has been a major breakthrough. After his semifinal appearance four years ago, the Canadian really lost his way. Both his results and form trailed off, and it has taken years for him to finally get back to this level. This tournament feels like a resurgence, only time will tell if he’s able to continue this form going forward. I won’t bet against him, he looks so steady and mature, which makes me think this is sustainable.
Sinner vs. Musetti
The last quarterfinal lacked drama but had plenty of quality. Lorenzo Musetti played solid tennis, but even at his best he couldn’t trouble Jannik Sinner. The world No. 1 overwhelmed him with sheer pace, allowing Musetti only seven games across three sets. On hard courts, Musetti simply doesn’t have the tools to hurt Sinner.
Semifinal Preview
Djokovic vs. Alcaraz
Friday afternoon brings the first US Open meeting between 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and the sport’s next great prodigy, Carlos Alcaraz.
I’ve grown to love Djokovic over the past couple of years. Early in his career I loved to hate him, but now, as the last of his era remaining at a top level, it's impossible not to appreciate him, especially as he battles opponents more than 15 years younger. That said, it’s difficult to imagine him being competitive in this matchup.
Yes, Djokovic did beat Alcaraz in Australia earlier this year. But that was eight months ago, and Alcaraz has only leveled up since then. His power, physicality, and precision look better than ever, and the first five rounds of this tournament has been the best level he’s ever put forth early in a slam. Unless Alcaraz suffers a major collapse, I don’t see Djokovic keeping up, even on his preferred surface.
Sinner vs. Auger-Aliassime
The second semifinal looks far more straightforward. Put simply: Sinner in three.
If you made a player combining the best attributes of Sinner and Auger-Aliassime, you’d just have Jannik Sinner. He does everything better, has more experience, and is in superior form. Right now, facing Sinner is like dropping a seven-year-old into a lion’s enclosure and telling him to fight his way out. Good luck.
Still, in tennis, anything can happen.
