Tennis-Alcaraz zips past Lehecka into US Open semis

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By Amy Tennery

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Second seed Carlos Alcaraz has yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows and cruised into the U.S. Open semi-finals on Tuesday, demolishing Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4 6-2 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz had the crowd in the palm of his hand as he fired off 28 winners and never faced a break point, putting on yet another almost pristine performance. He will next play either 24-times major winner Novak Djokovic or American fourth seed Taylor Fritz.

Lehecka is one of the few players to beat Alcaraz this season, winning in the Doha quarter-finals, but was outclassed this time around and could only watch helplessly as the Spaniard’s forehand winner zipped by on match point.

“If you show the opponent you’re fresh, you’re able to play two, three, more hours, to play long rallies, it’s giving him the mindset of this is going to be really tough,” said Alcaraz.

“The way that I walk between points, with attitude – I’m fresh, I’m really good physically, I think it’s really important to show the opponent that they are going to sweat a lot, and they are going to have to run a lot if he wants to beat me.”

Alcaraz broke in the first game, helped on his way by a pair of Lehecka double faults, and the Spaniard got the crowd going as he triumphed in a thrilling, cat-and-mouse exchange at the net in the 10th game, sending a backhand winner streaking past the Czech.

The 2022 champion kept the momentum going in the second set, converting a break point at the net in the first game, and Lehecka became visibly agitated as he went down another break with a double fault in the seventh game.

Alcaraz smiled in disbelief as he nailed a series of precise shots to set up a break point in the seventh game of the final set, but Lehecka dug in to hold.

Alcaraz let out a triumphant cheer as he prevailed in a 12-shot rally on break point in the ninth game, and deployed his golf swing celebration to the delight of fellow Spaniard and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who was in attendance.

“I just played a really – or almost – perfect match,” he said. “I’m just feeling great and hungry to make it.”

The five-times major winner has only been broken once so far in the tournament and could retake the number-one ranking from Italian Jannik Sinner, although he is trying not to think about it.

“If I think about the number one spot too much then I’m going to put pressure on myself and I don’t want to do that,” he said.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Toby Davis)