Carlos Alcaraz continued his flawless performance at the US Open on Sunday by overcoming big-serving Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech to advance to the quarterfinals, becoming the youngest male player in the Open Era to reach 13 Major quarterfinals.
Additionally, with this win, Alcaraz has secured a spot in the quarterfinals of all four Major tournaments in the same season for the first time in his career and currently leads the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin.
Now into his fourth US Open quarterfinal in just five attempts, the 2022 champion will next face 20th seed Jiri Lehecka, who defeated another Frenchman, Adrian Mannarino, earlier in the day.
A tactical shift in his return positioning during the second set, combined with his signature aggressive ball striking, proved crucial for Alcaraz in his 7-6(3) 6-3 6-4 victory. After a closely fought first set, the 22-year-old Spaniard adjusted his position deeper on the court to better handle Rinderknech’s serves, ultimately advancing to the last eight without losing a single set.
Alcaraz quickly got the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium excited with a moment of remarkable skill during the fourth game. After a simple drop shot, Rinderknech rushed in and hit a forehand aimed at Alcaraz’s feet, but the Spaniard replied with an impressive behind-the-back flick that left his opponent in disbelief and the audience cheering.
Rinderknech played with determination throughout the closely contested first set, but his efforts were marred by a critical double fault in the tiebreak at 2-1. Alcaraz had to fend off two break points late in the third set to ensure his serve remained unbroken throughout the encounter.
Leading the Tour with 58 victories and six titles in 2025, Alcaraz is on course to surpass his career-high total of 65 Tour-level victories and six titles from 2023. Additionally, he could reclaim the No. 1 position in the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time since September 2024 if he matches or exceeds the results of defending champion Jannik Sinner in New York. The pair could meet in the championship match for the fifth consecutive tournament if they sustain their invincibility.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
