Carlos Alcaraz compares Jannik Sinner rivalry to legendary 'big three' after breezing into quarter-finals of US Open

Carlos Alcaraz needed just two breaks of serve to defeat the unseeded Arthur Rinderknech on Sunday as the Spaniard marched into the US Open quarter-finals with purpose. The 22-year-old needed to pass an early tie-break test, but looked completely untroubled on his own serve in his 7-6(3) 6-3 6-4 victory. Alcaraz will face Jiri Lehecka in the last eight on Tuesday.

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Carlos Alcaraz breezed into the quarter-finals of the US Open, defeating Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(3) 6-3 6-4 on Sunday, and attention has turned to a potential blockbuster final against Jannik Sinner.

The last-16 clash saw just two breaks of serve, both by Alcaraz, with Rinderknech holding his own for most of the contest despite defeat.

It is the first time the five-time Grand Slam champion has reached the last eight at Flushing Meadows since 2023, having fallen at the second hurdle last year.

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Should Alcaraz make it all the way to the final on Sunday, September 7, he could come face-to-face with rival Sinner, who currently holds the world No. 1 spot he covets.

"What we are fighting for, I think that makes a really good rivalry," said Alcaraz. "Right now, Jannik and I, we're fighting for the No. 1 spot. We're fighting for the Grand Slams. We've played two finals already this year. A few Masters 1000 finals.

"So we fight for the great things in tennis, and I think that makes a good rivalry. And that's what the 'big three' did. They played the Grand Slam final, and they split the No. 1 spot for a really long time."

It would not be a surprise to see Alcaraz make his seventh Grand Slam final this week, especially given his performance a week before the red letter day.

Even though Rinderknech conceded just two breaks, the Spaniard showed his quality throughout with only one double fault, 78% of net points won and 11 unforced errors to his opponent's 28.

Flashy passes and behind-the-back shots lit up the encounter, and Alcaraz admitted that he sometimes practises such show-stoppers in training.

"Sometimes I practice it, I'm not going to lie," said Alcaraz in his on-court interview. "But I mean I don't practise it too many times. It's just if the opportunity is there, I will try and then in the match it's kind of the same.

"If I have the opportunity, why not? I think the people like it here. I like playing tennis like this, so it just comes naturally."

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With both players holding comfortably throughout the first set, a tense tie-break went the way of the Spaniard, who earned three mini-breaks to go 1-0 up in just under an hour.

"In the beginning, in the first set, we were tied," said Alcaraz. "We didn't have great points during the first set. It didn't mean that we were serving good, because the percentage was really, really bad from both."

In the first set, Rinderknech's first serve rate was at 49%, with his opponent's slightly lower at 47%.

"I just got a good rhythm, a good position for the return," continued Alcaraz. "I tried to make the most of the opportunities he brought to the match, but it was not too many.

"But I'm just really happy that in those points I played really good tennis, aggressive that I really liked."

Neither Rinderknech nor Alcaraz could reach break point in the first 17 games, but the latter took advantage of the first that came his way to go 4-2 up in the second set.

Rinderknech was not able to repay the favour in the following game, despite earning two chances, and Alcaraz duly went one set away from the quarter-finals.

And one more break was all it took for the 22-year-old to advance to the last eight, improvising a sublime lob and pass to get and take the opportunity to serve for the match.

Alcaraz will face Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals on Tuesday in New York after the Czech defeated Adrian Mannarino in four sets.

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