Carlos Alcaraz Advances to Second Round of US Open 2024
Young Spaniard Defeats Australia’s Li Tu
New York [US], August 28: Carlos Alcaraz stormed into the second round of the US Open 2024 after recalibrating his approach against Australia’s Li Tu in the opening round at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The young Spaniard extended his major match-winning streak to 15 with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 triumph.
With this win, Alcaraz is on the course of becoming just the third man in the Open Era to win Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open in the same year. The US Open 2022 champion raced to a 6-2 win in the first set, foreshadowing a quick wrap-up of the opening round. However, in the second set, the dynamics of the game completely changed after the 22-year-old dropped three consecutive games. With the scoreline reading 4-5, Alcaraz lost a topsy-turvy 10-minute service game to Li Tu.
Alcaraz upped the ante after producing 18 unforced errors in the second set. He relied on his strong forehand game to dictate the flow of the play from the baseline. He effortlessly switched from forehand to backhand to lure the Australian into making unforced errors. He kept up the newly-found momentum that he gained in a contest that lasted for 2 hours and 42 minutes. He capped off an impressive display to clinch his 60th match win at Grand Slam level.
“First of all, I’m really happy to get through and [have] a chance to be better in the next round. Obviously, I felt well on the court. I think I hit the ball well. I moved well. [There are] a few things that I have to improve if I want to keep going in the draw, but obviously, I have to give credit to him as well. He played really good tennis and surprised me a little bit in the second set. I leave the court happy with my performance,” Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference.
While assessing his performance in the second set, Alcaraz said, “The first set, I made just two unforced errors. In the second set, I made 18. That was the huge difference for me.” He added, “He started to play better, obviously serving better, playing more aggressively, and not making a lot of mistakes that he did in the first set. But talking about myself, it was from two to 18 unforced errors, a huge difference for me.”
Alcaraz’s next opponent will be Botic van de Zandschulp, who defeated Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to seal his place in the next round.
Doubts Revealed
Carlos Alcaraz -: Carlos Alcaraz is a young tennis player from Spain. He is very talented and has won many matches.
US Open -: The US Open is a big tennis tournament held in the United States. Players from all over the world come to compete.
Li Tu -: Li Tu is a tennis player from Australia. He played against Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open.
Arthur Ashe Stadium -: Arthur Ashe Stadium is a large tennis stadium in New York, USA. Many important tennis matches are played there.
Open Era -: The Open Era in tennis started in 1968. It is when professional players were allowed to compete in major tournaments.
Roland Garros -: Roland Garros is another name for the French Open, a major tennis tournament held in France.
Wimbledon -: Wimbledon is a famous tennis tournament held in England. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious tennis events.
Botic van de Zandschulp -: Botic van de Zandschulp is a tennis player from the Netherlands. He will play against Carlos Alcaraz in the next round.
Denis Shapovalov -: Denis Shapovalov is a tennis player from Canada. He was defeated by Botic van de Zandschulp in the US Open.
