In a thrilling day at the US Open 2023, the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz from Spain showcased his prowess by securing a commanding straight-set victory over South Africa’s Lloyd Harris.
The 20-year-old Alcaraz faced a spirited challenge in the third set but ultimately triumphed with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).
Alcaraz’s quest to etch his name in history as the first back-to-back US Open winner since Roger Federer in 2008 continues as he prepares to take on Britain’s Dan Evans in the third round.
On another court, the third-seeded Daniil Medvedev encountered a dramatic showdown against Chris O’Connell. Medvedev seemed to be cruising with a two-set lead and a break, but O’Connell staged a comeback, pushing the match to a nail-biting third-set tie-break.
Despite some tense moments, including a double fault on match point, Medvedev regained his composure and secured a 6-2, 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-2 victory. This epic encounter stretched into the early hours of September 1.
In a poignant moment of the day, American tennis veteran John Isner bid adieu to his illustrious career with an unforgettable five-set clash against compatriot Michael Mmoh.
Isner, renowned for his towering serves, fell short with a scoreline of 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, 7-6 (10-7) in a thrilling contest that lasted nearly four hours.
This match served as a fitting conclusion to Isner’s career, a journey that included the epic longest match in tennis history against Nicolas Mahut in 2010.
Despite the loss, the Flushing Meadows crowd celebrated Isner’s remarkable career, which saw him reach the eighth spot in the rankings and secure 16 singles titles.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Italian Matteo Berrettini was forced to retire due to an ankle injury while trailing 6-4, 5-3 against France’s Arthur Rinderknech, marking the end of his run in the tournament.
The day also witnessed the sixth-seeded Jannik Sinner securing a comfortable 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
Additionally, the German 12th seed Alexander Zverev set up an exciting showdown with Grigor Dimitrov by defeating Daniel Altmaier in four sets.
As John Isner bid farewell to singles competition, he also had one last doubles match alongside Jack Sock. Their farewell tour in men’s doubles concluded with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (10-3) defeat to their opponents, Albano Olivetti and Robert Galloway.
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