NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz hit a behind-the-back shot on the U.S. Open to win some extent in a 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Arthur Rinderknech on Sunday that made the Spaniard the youngest man within the Open period to succeed in 13 Grand Slam quarterfinals.
Carlos Alcaraz competes within the 4th spherical of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis championships on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart in Flushing New York on August 31, 2025. (Andrew Schwartz/NYDN)
“Sometimes, I practice it. I’m not going to lie,” the No. 2-seeded Alcaraz stated concerning the little bit of wizardry he delivered within the first set. “But I mean, I don’t practice it, like, too many times. Just in practice, if the opportunity is there, I will try. In the match, it’s kind of the same. If I have the opportunity, why not?”
Carlos Alcaraz competes within the 4th spherical of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis championships on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart in Flushing New York on August 31, 2025. (Andrew Schwartz/NYDN)
At 22 years and three months previous, Alcaraz is about 6 months youthful than Boris Becker was when he acquired to main quarterfinal No. 13.
Alcaraz’s opponent on Tuesday will probably be No. 20 Jiri Lehecka, a 23-year-old from the Czech Republic. Lehecka superior to his second Slam quarterfinal with a 7-6 (4), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 win over Adrian Mannarino.
Early on towards Rinderknech, a Frenchman who performed faculty tennis at Texas A&M, Alcaraz closed a love maintain that made the rating 2-all in spectacular vogue. Transferring to his proper at midcourt, Alcaraz discovered himself in what seemed to be a nasty spot when Rinderknech wrong-footed him.
Carlos Alcaraz competes within the 4th spherical of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis championships on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart in Flushing New York on August 31, 2025. (Andrew Schwartz/NYDN)
However Alcaraz wrapped his racket round his physique and flicked a shot up the road ( see it right here ).
Maybe startled that the purpose wasn’t over, Rinderknech hit a volley that landed within the web. An enormous smile crossed Alcaraz’s face as he regarded over at his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, within the stands. Alcaraz then positioned his proper index finger behind his ear, as if acknowledging the spectators’ cheers.
Carlos Alcaraz competes within the 4th spherical of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis championships on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart in Flushing New York on August 31, 2025. (Andrew Schwartz/NYDN)
“The people like it; I like playing tennis like this,” Alcaraz stated. “My style of tennis fits pretty well to the energy here.”
Alcaraz wound up taking that set in a tiebreaker. Then, halfway via the second, Alcaraz produced one other highlight-worthy effort with a no-look passing winner, racing ahead to get to a brief ball and glancing down the road as if he was going to hit to Rinderknech’s backhand, however as an alternative steering a forehand cross-court.
Carlos Alcaraz competes within the 4th spherical of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis championships on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart in Flushing New York on August 31, 2025. (Andrew Schwartz/NYDN)
By the final recreation, even Rinderknech was smiling at different next-level strokes by Alcaraz, who has received 54 of 55 service video games via 4 matches this yr at Flushing Meadows. He claimed the title right here in 2022 for the primary of his 5 Grand Slam trophies.
Alcaraz is into his fourth main quarterfinal of 2025, the primary time in his profession he’s gone 4 for 4 in that class in a season. He misplaced to Novak Djokovic at that stage on the Australian Open in January, received the French Open in June and misplaced to No. 1 Jannik Sinner within the remaining at Wimbledon in July.
Rinderknech was showing within the fourth spherical of a serious for the primary time.
By Howard Fendrich
Initially Printed: August 31, 2025 at 5:05 PM EDT
