Carlos Alcaraz makes more Grand Slam history with U.S. Open win over Jiri Lehecka

Drew Bishop

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Carlos Alcaraz makes more Grand Slam history with U.S. Open win over Jiri Lehecka image

Death, taxes, and a healthy Carlos Alcaraz competing for Grand Slams. There's very few guarantees in life but the 22-year-old Spaniard is becoming a certainty in the tennis world. 

He defeated 20th-ranked Jiri Lehecka in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals of the U.S. Open. He made history by making nine Grand Slam semifinals before the age of 23, tied for second-most behind Rafael Nadal and Boris Becker. 

Mind you, this is all without Alcaraz dropping a set in Queens. He's been a machine coming off a loss in his last Grand Slam at Wimbledon to Jannik Sinner. The most recent win came a day after Sinner dominated Alexander Bublik 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. 

Alcaraz's speed and power were on display in the quarterfinal. From drop shots to strong serves he put on a show for the New York crowd. He hasn't shown many weaknesses through the first week and started the second strong with his showing in the quarterfinal.

Now he's set to play in his first hardcourt Grand Slam semifinal since 2023 at the U.S. Open. He's shown his brilliance on clay and grass in recent years but this could be Alcaraz's chance to retake a third surface on the tour. 

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Drew Bishop

Drew Bishop is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. After graduating from the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University, he worked in local media in Sandusky, Ohio at BCSN and the Sandusky Register, freelancing as a reporter, broadcast director and play-by-play commentator for high school sports. He then moved on to KRIS 6 News where he serves as a producer in the news department.