Alcaraz defeated Lehecka in straight sets to reach the US Open semifinals

Carlos Alcaraz dominated the quarterfinals with a strong victory over Jiri Lehecka, pushing forward in his quest for his first hard-court Grand Slam title since 2022.

Alcaraz secured the win with scores of 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, maintaining a flawless record without losing a set. This marks his first time reaching the hard-court Grand Slam semifinals since the 2023 US Open. His next opponent will be the winner between four-time champion Djokovic and last year’s finalist Fritz.

However, the seemingly one-sided 3-0 scoreline does not fully reflect the intensity of the match. Lehecka had previously defeated Alcaraz in February at the Doha tournament and is one of only six male players to beat him this season. In several high-quality exchanges, he pushed the Spaniard to the edge multiple times.

This challenge instead fueled Alcaraz’s fighting spirit. He met it with his signature outstanding play, executing a series of brilliant drop volleys and bold shots that kept the Czech player off balance. A highlight came in the second set during a grueling 21-shot rally when Alcaraz, facing away from the net, completed an incredible drop volley at full stretch.

When asked if he watches his own highlight shots, Alcaraz smiled and said, “I don’t usually watch them on purpose, but sometimes when I’m in the living room and my brothers are watching my highlights, I sit down to watch with them. Every time I revisit those shots, it reminds me during matches.”

Beyond his superb skills, Alcaraz’s serve was also dominant. In this 1 hour 56 minute quarterfinal, his first-serve points won were extremely high, losing only 7 points out of 45 first serves, and he never faced a break point throughout the match.

Although this match also ended 3-0, it was not the same overwhelming dominance as Sinner’s 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 win over Bublik. This one appeared more competitive and exciting.

In the 2025 season, Alcaraz has already recorded 59 wins and claimed 6 titles, currently leading the tour in most match wins. He is on track to surpass his career-best record of 65 wins and 6 titles set in 2023.

The battle for the PIF ATP No.1 ranking this week is also intense, with Alcaraz putting greater pressure on his rival Jannik Sinner. If he performs at least as well as defending champion Sinner at the US Open, he will reclaim the world No.1 spot for the first time since September 2023.

Alcaraz stated, “If I think too much about being world No.1, it puts pressure on me, and I don’t want that. I just want to step on the court, do what I need to do, move towards my goals, and enjoy the process as much as possible. The No.1 spot is there, but I try not to dwell on it too much.”

Clearly, Alcaraz has matured. Early in his career, he was always loudly proclaiming he wanted to be “world No.1” and to “compete with the best players in the world.” Perhaps having reached No.1 and experienced that “limitless glory,” he has now become more composed and calm.

In their ATP head-to-head record, Alcaraz leads Sinner 9-5. In tournaments where both compete, Alcaraz is favored to meet the Italian player for the fifth consecutive time in a final. Sinner will face fellow countryman Lorenzo Musetti in Wednesday evening’s quarterfinal.

Despite the loss, Lehecka can still celebrate his milestone performance in New York. He reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the second time in his career, rose 6 places to No.15 in the PIF ATP live rankings, and is set to break into the top 20 for the first time on Monday.

Lehecka’s season record at tour-level events stands at 34 wins and 18 losses, highlighted by winning his second ATP tour title in Brisbane in January and reaching the Queen’s Club final—where he lost a tough three-set match to Alcaraz.

Lehecka still has room to improve, but given his talent and physical attributes, his ceiling is likely no higher than Bertich’s level.

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