A SPANISH teenager who has been dubbed ‘the next Rafa’ has stunned the US Open crowd with a hard-fought five-set win against third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. Carlos Alcaraz has caught the eye this year after an outstanding Challenger Tour season on clay, but has now reached the second round of every Grand Slam this year, and became the youngest fourth round US Open player since 2007. Additionally, Alcaraz joined elite company in Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi as teenagers defeating a top three seed at the US Open.

Alcaraz was holding his own against the third seed Greek, leading two sets to one after winning an important third set tiebreaker. The fourth set broke the youngster as Tsitsipas did not drop a game in a stunning bagel set to level the match, and many expected the more experienced competitor to go on with it. Instead, Alcaraz held his nerve – and his serve – as both players forced it into a tiebreaker. After being even early in the tiebreaker, Alcaraz had three match points, and despite dropping the two points on his serve, broke Tsitsipas on the final point to salute 7-5 in the tiebreaker, and win, 6-3 4-6 7-6 0-6 7-6.

“I just don’t know what happened out there in the court. I can’t believe that I beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in an epic match,” Alcaraz said post-match. “For me it’s a dream come true. “I didn’t give up. I believed in me in the last point.”

The 18-year-old only served two aces to Tsitsipas’ 15, but hit a stunning 61 winners to 47 with some eye-opening backhand winners and court smarts. He won 60 per cent of his service points off both his first and second serve, and broke the Greek six times. The lobsided fourth set meant Tsitsipas broke eight times in total and won more receiving points (68-57), as well as eight more points overall (167-159), but Alcaraz stood up when it counted to reach his first Round of 16 at a Grand Slam.

There were a couple of other five-set contests, with Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassame holding his own nerve against a fast-finishing Roberto Bautista Agut. The 12th seed won the first two sets, before the Spaniard took control and levelled the match. A crucial break in the deciding set went the way of the 21-year-old who saluted 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3. Auger Aliassime hit a whopping 77 winners to 17, but also was loose with 74 unforced errors to 31. He hit 27 aces to two during the match, and only dropped 16 points off his first serve to power into the fourth round.

“I had to dig really deep,” Auger-Aliassime said post-match. “First of all I felt good today. “I started off the best I could, winning the first two sets. “It’s unfortunate, being up a break [in the third set], not solidifying, making a few weak mistakes and from there it got tricky. “He was getting more and more confidence, I was serving not as good. “You guys really pushed me to dig deep in my stomach to get that fifth set—thank you.”

Meanwhile 24th seed Brit Daniel Evans had a scare against Australian talent Alexei Popyrin, coming back from two sets down to defeat his younger opponent, 4-6 3-6 6-3 6-4 7-6. Popyrin served 18 aces to six, but also 14 double faults to one in what was an inconsistent performance. With 77 winners to 48, Popyrin certainly ramped up the power, but Evans’ consistency was unbelievable, only hitting eight unforced errors to 57.

In other results, second seed Daniil Medvedev brushed past Spaniard Pablo Andujar in straight sets, 6-0 6-4 6-3, while Diego Schwartzman also completed a third round match with ease, knocking off Alex Molcan, 6-4 6-3 6-3. Croatian qualifier Botic Van de Zandschulp came back from a first set loss to dominate Argentinian Facundo Bagnis 3-6 6-0 6-2 6-2, while Peter Gojowczyk was the other surprise packet into the third round overall, though was the higher ranked player in his matchup, defeating Swiss qualifier Henri Laaksonen, 3-6 6-3 6-1 6-4. The late match had Frances Tiafoe topple Andrey Rublev in an epic five-setter.

US OPEN ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[2] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) defeated Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-0 6-4 6-3
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) defeated [3] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 6-3 4-6 7-6 0-6 7-6
Frances Tiafoe (USA) defeated [5] Andrey Rublev (RUS) 4-6 6-3 7-6 4-6 6-1
[11] Diego Schwartzman (ARG) defeated Alex Molcan (SVK) 6-4 6-3 6-3
[12] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) defeated [18] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3
[24] Daniel Evans (GBR) defeated Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 4-6 3-6 6-3 6-4 7-6
Peter Gojowczyk (GER) defeated Henri Laaksonen (SUI) 3-6 6-3 6-1 6-4
Botic Van de Zandschulp (NED) defeated Facundo Bagnis (ARG) 3-6 6-0 6-2 6-2

Picture credit: Garrett Ellwood/USTA