Alcaraz, Sabalenka Power To U.S. Open Third Round
Defending Champion, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Italian Mattia Bellucci 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 to book a third-round place at the U.S. Open.
The five-time major champion, who is on an eight-match winning streak, will take on American wild card Eliot Spizzirri in the third round.
The Spanish star, who is world number two, was delighted to advance to the next round.
Alcaraz said, “I set up some goals at the beginning of the match, and I’m trying to follow them from the first ball until the last ball. That’s something that helped me a lot to stay in the match — to stay positive, to stay aggressive all the time. Not having ups and downs in the match. It’s just about the goals you set up for yourself and try to follow them every time.
It was his most decisive victory in terms of the fewest games lost across his 17 completed matches at the U.S. Open.
Alcaraz is aiming for a second U.S. Open trophy and a return to World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
In the women’s category, Aryna Sabalenka earned a hard-fought 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 victory over Polina Kudermetova to advance to the third round.
The World number one continued her impressive tie-break record to earn her 17th consecutive tie-break in the encounter.
She has now won 10 of her past 11 matches when winning a first-set tie-break.
Sabalenka saved four break points before dropping serve in the opening game, but recovered immediately to win the first set with a sublime crosscourt winner for a 3-1 lead in the tiebreak.
World number 67 Kudermetova sent a forehand wide to surrender the opening set to Sabalenka before she found herself down in an early break in the next set.
She fought hard to wrestle back the tie after the break but Sabalenka was too strong for her as she claimed a deserved victory.
Sabalenka admitted that the first set was tough while opening up on why she is dominant in tie-breaks.
She said, “The first set was super tight and super aggressive. I felt like it was more about the serve and the first shot. It was super quick.
“The second set felt much better on the return game. I’m really glad that I stayed strong in that first set.
“Honestly, I don’t know [why I’m so strong in tie-breaks]. I’m just trying to stay aggressive and fight for energy points. I know every point can be a key moment of the set, so I’m just trying to stay strong and play aggressively.
“I think I have to focus on myself. I know if I’m able to bring my game and fight for every point, I know I’ll have my chances. All I try to do is focus on myself and bring the best fight possible every time I’m out here playing in front of you all.”
A tiebreak in tennis is a special “game within a game” played when a set score is tied at 6-6, deciding the set winner.
Sabalenka will battle it out with Leylah Fernandez in the third round.
Alcaraz, Sabalenka Power To U.S. Open Third Round is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
