Queens, NY — Carlos Alcaraz powered his way into the fourth round of the US Open on Friday, dispatching Italy’s Luciano Darderi in straight sets — 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 — despite a brief injury scare that raised eyebrows midway through the match.
The top-seeded Spaniard looked in full control for much of the contest, but concern surfaced late in the second set when he called for a medical timeout due to discomfort in his knee. After a brief visit from the physio, however, Alcaraz appeared unfazed and went on to win the final seven games of the match.
“I’m feeling fine,” Alcaraz said afterward. “I felt something a little off in my knee when I got broken, but it disappeared after a few points. I just wanted the physio to check it out so I could finish strong.”
Alcaraz started fast, dominating the opening set and dropping only two points on serve. Darderi showed more resistance in the second, managing to break back and level the set at 4-4. But serving to stay in the set at 4-5, the Italian double-faulted — a costly error that handed the frame to Alcaraz.
From there, the reigning Wimbledon champion shifted into high gear. He stormed through the third set, blanking Darderi and sealing his 42nd win in his last 44 matches in just under two hours.
With the victory, Alcaraz moves on to face France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the round of 16.
Despite the convincing win, the 21-year-old admitted early matches aren’t his preference. “Playing at 11:30 in the morning is tough for me — I’m not really a morning person,” he joked. “But I woke up early, had a good warm-up, and started with energy. That made the difference.”
Alcaraz remains a top contender in the men’s draw as he looks to defend his US Open title and chase his third Grand Slam trophy.
