Carlos Alcaraz said he almost hit perfection as he continued his relentless march at the US Open on Tuesday with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals.

The Spaniard will play 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic on Friday for a place in the final.

Alcaraz is yet to lose a set at the tournament in his quest for a sixth Grand Slam title. He won his first major at the US Open in 2022 as a teenager.

“I just played a really — or almost perfect match,” said Alcaraz, who has won 35 of his last 36 matches since the start of the Italian Open in May.

“It seems like, OK, just two more steps to do, and let’s see what happens. But yeah, I’m just feeling great and hungry to make it.”

Lehecka was bidding to reach his first semi-final at a major but accepted he was no match Tuesday for Alcaraz.

“I kind of met the Grand Slam version of Carlos,” Lehecka said. “He just showed that he is one of the contenders, for sure. Everyone knew that, and he proved that.”

Alcaraz can reclaim the world number one ranking from Jannik Sinner with another triumph in New York.

“It’s really difficult not to think about it,” said the 22-year-old.

“Every time I step onto the court I try not to think about it. If I think about the number one spot too much, I think I’m going to put pressure on myself and I don’t want to do that.”

Alcaraz, who again celebrated his win with an imaginary golf swing, said he would squeeze in another round on the course in the two days off before his semi-final.

“It’s something that’s working well so why should I change that routine,” said Alcaraz. “Every day off I go and try to play some golf.”

But he will find himself in the less familiar role of apprentice when he tees off with former Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who was in the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch his compatriot.

“He has to give me at least between 10 and 15 shots,” Alcaraz said. “It’s going to be great. I’m not that good, Sergio, come on.”

Novak Djokovic set up a titanic US Open semi-final with Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday as the Serbian star kept his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam firmly on track.

The 38-year-old Djokovic advanced to a record-equalling 14th US Open semi-final with a four-set win over fourth seed Taylor Fritz, eliminating the last American in the men’s draw.

Djokovic’s 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory saw him improve to 16-0 against US opponents in New York as he reached the last four of a major for the 53rd time.

“It was an incredibly close match. It was really anybody’s match,” said Djokovic, who also drew level with Jimmy Connors for the most US Open semi-final appearances.

“I thought I was really lucky to save some crucial break points in the second set. I think for most of the second and third sets he was the better player.”

Fritz saved two match points in a tight fourth set before sealing his own fate with a double fault.

“That last game was nerve-wracking. A tough one for Taylor to finish with a double fault, he didn’t deserve that,” said Djokovic.

Djokovic and Alcaraz will square off for the first time since the Australian Open quarter-finals in January when the Serbian won in four sets to take a 5-3 edge in their rivalry.

Friday’s encounter is their fifth at a Grand Slam but first at Flushing Meadows. Djokovic has won all three past meetings on hard courts.

Djokovic broke Fritz straight away inside a raucous Arthur Ashe stadium as he zipped into a 3-0 lead in the first set and brought up set point on his opponent’s serve in the eighth game.

Fritz resisted and piled on the pressure in the following game, earning five break points.

He couldn’t convert though as Djokovic relied on his trademark grit to foil Fritz, including in an astonishing 25-stroke rally.

Djokovic eventually held to clinch the set but Fritz carved out more chances in the fourth and sixth games of the second set.

His failure to capitalise allowed Djokovic to again seize the initiative by breaking for a 4-3 advantage. Fritz broke back with Djokovic serving for a two-set lead only to tamely surrender his own serve with a double-fault in the ensuing game.

Djokovic made no mistake this time to pouch the set and mockingly blew kisses to the crowd as he walked to his chair.

But he began to get riled up with the pro-Fritz support willing their man back into the contest, prompting Djokovic to plead with the umpire to do more to quieten the crowd.

His focus dipped fleetingly and Fritz broke to nudge 3-1 ahead and force a fourth set. It went on serve until Djokovic brought up two match points with Fritz trying to stay alive.

Fritz scrambled to save both but Djokovic earned another shot and the American double-faulted to seal his rival’s passage to the last four.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic motored into the quarter-finals of the US Open on Sunday as reigning women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka kept her title defence firmly on track.

Spanish second seed Alcaraz and tennis icon Djokovic – who are on course to meet in the semi-finals – both recorded straight-sets wins on the Arthur Ashe Stadium main court.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz overpowered France’s Arthur Rinderknech 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-4 and has not dropped a set to date at the championships.

“I think my style of tennis suits pretty well the energy here in New York,” the 22-year-old said.

“The energy is special playing the day session, playing the night session. It doesn’t matter, people are always there. I love it and I think that’s why I play my best tennis here,” he added.

Alcaraz will face Czech 20th seed Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Lehecka reached the last eight of a Grand Slam for only the second time after battling past veteran Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, winning 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

Djokovic, 38, continued his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title with a brisk 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 defeat of unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff.

“It definitely helps if you serve well. I think I had a great serving performance last round and also tonight,” said Djokovic. “That helps make it easier on the court.”

Djokovic faces a quarter-final on Tuesday against fourth seed Taylor Fritz, the lone American man left in the draw.

Fritz sprinted into the last eight with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 defeat of the Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac in 1hr 38min.

Fritz is carrying hopes of being the first US men’s Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick in 2003 following the exits of fellow seeds Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe.

But Fritz will head into his quarter-final against Djokovic with history stacked against him. Djokovic has won all 10 of their past meetings, including a 2023 quarter-final win at the US Open.

“I think the first, almost like seven or eight times I played him, I probably just wasn’t a good enough player to really have that much of a chance,” said Fritz.

“I think only the last couple times we’ve played I think I’ve been this just better player that can, you know, I’d say compete and have chances.”

Sabalenka balance

In the women’s draw, Sabalenka never looked troubled in a 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Moldova-born Spaniard Cristina Bucsa, ranked 95th in the world.

Sabalenka has now reached the quarter-finals or better at 12 straight Grand Slam tournaments, a consistency she attributes to striking a balance in her life on and off the court.

“I’m super proud, I think that’s an incredible achievement,” Sabalenka said.

“I think for me the key was balancing on and off-the-court life. I think I’ve done a great job on balancing really hard work and also great recovery and some fun time outside of tennis court. I think that’s been the key.”

Sabalenka faces a quarter-final against the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, who upset ninth seed Elena Rybakina 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the late game on Arthur Ashe.

In other women’s draw action on Sunday, another Czech, unseeded former French Open and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, conjured a remarkable escape to oust Taylor Townsend, saving an incredible eight match points before digging out a 1-6, 7-6 (15/13), 6-3 victory.

Krejcikova fought off a match point on her own serve at 5-4 down in the second set, and then somehow survived seven match points in an enthralling tie-breaker to move on.

“What a match,” said Krejcikova, who revealed she had wondered if she would ever play tennis again after missing the opening months of the season with a back injury.

“I was sidelined for six months and didn’t know if I would ever play again. I’m super happy I can be here.”

Krejcikova will face American fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals.

Pegula, beaten in the final last year, advanced to the last eight after breezing past compatriot Ann Li 6-1, 6-2 on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.