NEW YORK – Carlos Alcaraz “in Grand Slam mode.”
That’s how Jiri Lehecka, his latest victim, described him. There is the regular version of the Spaniard, the one players from the second, third or even fourth tier might have a chance of beating.
And then there is the special version, reserved for the big tournaments – like this US Open, and especially on this Tuesday afternoon in New York: flawless, overwhelming, powerful, and magical.
After his 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over the Czech, Alcaraz reflected on the importance of body language on court – a crucial aspect and one of the great qualities of “Grand Slam Alcaraz.”
“We play two matches at the same time. There is the points, and there is between the points. It’s like the behind the scenes: how you show the opponents how you feel is very important. Doesn’t matter if you feel exhausted, you feel really tired, like you cannot keep it going,” said the five-time Grand Slam champion.
“But if you show the opponent you’re fresh, you’re able to play two, three more hours, to play long rallies, it’s giving him the mindset of ‘this is going to be really tough,’” he added.
“So for me the way that I walk between points, with attitude, with like I’m fresh, I’m really good physically, I think it’s really important to show the opponent that they are going to sweat a lot, and they are going to have to run a lot if he wants to beat me.”
Alcaraz has reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the ninth time. For the first time, he has done so without dropping a set.
He will have two days off before facing either Novak Djokovic or Taylor Fritz. Will he play golf? “One hundred percent.”
“It’s something that’s working for me, so why would I change the routine? Every day I have off I try to play golf,” he told Sam Querrey in his on-court interview.
While Félix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur on one side, and Italians Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti on the other, battle for a place in the last four, Alcaraz will enjoy himself on one of New York’s courses.
In London, Andy Murray – obsessed with golf and playing every day – was the man to beat. In New York, it will be Sergio García, the 2017 Masters champion, who will tee off with the world No.2 in tennis.
