TENNIS – Second seed Carlos Alcaraz dished out another devastating defeat, while 2021 champion Emma Raducanu’s run ended in bitter disappointment in the US Open third round yesterday.
Alcaraz, the 2022 Flushing Meadows champion who has claimed an ATP-best six titles this season, shook off a right knee problem to brush aside Italy’s Luciano Darderi 6-2 6-4 6-0.
The Spaniard took a medical timeout to address the issue in the second set but eased fans’ worries as he sprinted through the final set with just two unforced errors to set up a meeting with France’s Arthur Rinderknech.
American fourth seed Jessica Pegula defeated twice Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka 6-1 7-5.
Raducanu has shown signs of improvement this year, reaching the US Open third round for the first time since her 2021 triumph, but it was not enough to get past ninth seed Elena Rybakina, who cruised to a 6-1 6-2 win on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Rybakina, who triumphed at Wimbledon three years ago, reached the US Open fourth round for the first time and will next play Czech Marketa Vondrousova.
Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon winner, eliminated Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini 7-6(4) 6-1.
Meanwhile, sixth seed Ben Shelton retired injured from his third-round match while locked at two sets all against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.
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