Top seed Carlos Alvaraz defeated Alexander Zverev in straight sets on Wednesday night to advance to the US Open semi-finals. He is the reigning champion and will be looking to be the first player to defend the US Open title in a very long time. There has not been a back-to-back champion since Roger Federer in 2007-2008.
- Alvaraz’s Slow Start and Strong Finish
- American Aces in Women’s Singles
- Players Complain About Brutal Heat
- US Open Semi Finals Schedule
Alvaraz’s Slow Start and Strong Finish
Although Alvaraz won in straight sets the match didn’t start off as planned for him. At 3-all in the first set, Zverev got the chance to break Alvaraz’s serve and take a lead in the match. Alvarez however stopped all breaks and went on to break Zverev to take full control. From there the Spanish phenom won rather easily, finishing the match with a score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
It should be noted that the German Zverev had a 4-hour, 41-minute match with Jannik Sinner in the fourth round two days earlier. He could have still been feeling the effect of that matchup and not been at 100%.
Alcaraz will now face third seed Daniil Medvedev in the semi finals this weekend. Medvedev topped childhood friend Andrey Rublev in his quarter final to advance in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. The Russian pro should be Alcaraz’s toughest opponent yet at the open, with experience winning the tournament back in 2021.
On the other side of the bracket, Novak Djokovic defeated American Taylor Fritz earlier in the week to advance to a record 47th men’s Grand Slam semi-final. He now has a perfect record in US Open quarter-finals, winning his 13th in a row at the competition. The 36-year-old is the oldest US Open semi finalist since Jimmy Connors (39) in 1991.
Djokovic won his quarter final in straight sets, 6-1 6-4 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium and will now face another American, Ben Shelton in the Semis. Djokovic is looking to win his record 24th Grand Slam title.
The young American Ben Shelton, still 20 years of age, reached his first Grand Slam semifinal by beating Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 in a close match. Shelton entered the tournament unseeded but has proven that he can match up to top-ranked players. Djokovic will definitely be his toughest test so far, as Shelton will go into the match a heavy underdog.
American Aces in Women’s Singles
In the Women’s Singles draft two Americans qualified for the semi finals. Coco Gauff will play against Karolína Muchová in one semi final and Madison Keys will take on world number 2, Aryna Sabalenka in the other.
Gauff dominated her quarterfinal matchup against Jelena Ostapenko, beating her easily in straight sets 6-0, 6-2. The 19-year old now has arguably her best chance to win her maiden grand slam title. First however, she will have to go through Karolína Muchová who was able to reach her first US Open semi final by defeating fifth seed Soarana Cirstea 6-0, 6-3.
Madison Keys beat current Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-1 6-4 to reach the semi-finals on Wednesday. Keys has previously made the Finals at the US Open in 2017 but lost to fellow American Sloane Stephens. She will need to top the second seeded Aryna Sabalenka if she is to reach the Finals this year.
Players Complain About Brutal Heat
The extreme heat and humidity at this year’s US Open in New York City has been a cause for concern for some players. Temperatures have reached up to 94 degrees fahrenheit which feels even hotter with high humidity in the air. If the trend continues that end of the tournament will be a test of fitness as well as skill.
US Open Semi Finals Schedule
The Women’s Singles semi finals will begin on the 7th of September with Coco Gauff against Karolína Muchová at 11 pm GMT. The second semi final between Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka will begin shortly after at 12:15 am GMT.
The Men’s semis will be taking place on Friday the 8th of September. Exact times have not yet been decided.
The winners of the semis will meet on Sunday the 10th of September for the Men’s Finals and Saturday the 9th of September for the Women’s Finals.
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