Second-seeded Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz showcased his remarkable return to competitive tennis by defeating China's Wu Yibing in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1, during the third round of the US Open held in New York on Friday. This victory marks a significant milestone in Alcaraz's comeback after a four-month hiatus due to a wrist injury.
With this win, Alcaraz has now extended his Grand Slam winning streak to an impressive 17 matches. The young Spaniard is on a quest to become the first man since Roger Federer to win consecutive US Open titles, a feat accomplished by Federer from 2004 to 2008. Despite not having played a singles match since April, Alcaraz has shown remarkable form, having lost only one set in his first three matches back.
While the final score may suggest a one-sided affair, the match was competitive, particularly in the early stages. Both players were tied at 3-3 in the first two sets before Alcaraz managed to pull away, demonstrating his ability to perform under pressure. The third set, however, saw Alcaraz dominate, winning the final five games to secure the match in just 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Wu Yibing, who matched his best performance at a Grand Slam by reaching the third round, fought valiantly. He saved 8 of 15 break-point opportunities on his serve, but ultimately struggled with consistency, finishing the match with 12 winners against 39 unforced errors. After the match, Alcaraz praised Wu's playing style, noting, "The way he plays is unbelievable, the rhythm he has on every shot: forehand, backhand. His balls skid a lot on the court and, for me, it’s really difficult to control sometimes. But I think I stayed there. I played aggressive; I played smart in the toughest moments."
Looking ahead, Alcaraz is set to face his first seeded opponent since returning, No. 20 Tommy Paul, in the fourth round. Paul secured his spot by defeating No. 15 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in a thrilling five-set match, coming back after losing the third set in a tiebreaker. Paul’s victory was marked by his ability to break Bublik in key moments, allowing him to take control in the final two sets.
In their head-to-head encounters, Alcaraz leads Paul 6-2, having won their last five meetings, which include matches at Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympics. If Paul manages to defeat Alcaraz, he would become the only active American player to reach the quarterfinals of all four major tournaments.
In other notable matches, seventh seed Daniil Medvedev continued his strong performance with a straight-sets victory over No. 26 Arthur Rinderknech, while No. 11 Frances Tiafoe and Stefanos Tsitsipas also advanced to the fourth round. As the tournament progresses, fans are eager to see how Alcaraz's journey unfolds as he aims for another Grand Slam title.
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