Carlos Alcaraz confidently sees off Jiri Lehecka to reach US Open semi-finals

By Eleanor Crooks, PA Sport Correspondent, New York

Carlos Alcaraz continued his stroll through the US Open draw.

The second seed is yet to lose a set at Flushing Meadows this year and that was never in any danger of changing against Czech Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals.

Alcaraz needed only an hour and 56 minutes to see off the 20th seed 6-4 6-2 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

He could now face Novak Djokovic in what would be a chance for revenge after the Serbian’s victory in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

Alcaraz is seen as not as consistent as his big rival Jannik Sinner but that reputation is beginning to look decidedly outdated considering the Spaniard has not lost before the final of any event since Miami in March.

His shock second-round defeat here 12 months ago, meanwhile, is the only time in his last 12 grand slam appearances that he has failed to reach at least the quarter-finals.

Lehecka can claim a win over Alcaraz this season, in Doha in February, while he also pushed the 22-year-old in the final at Queen’s Club, so there was reason to believe this might be a real test.

But the Czech’s big serve and hard, flat groundstrokes were no match for the ingenuity and X factor possessed by Alcaraz, who even impressed himself with a forehand winner thumped down the line from the backhand corner to win the second game.

By that point he was already a break up, and it was all Lehecka could do to try to stay within touching distance.

The Czech did not manage to force a break point in the match, and an early break of his own serve to start the second set was exactly what he could not afford.

Any glimpse Lehecka had was inevitably snuffed out with a bit of Alcaraz magic, such as the lunging drop volley at 15-30 in the sixth game of the second set, the five-time grand slam champion putting his finger to his ear as he soaked up the cheers.

Lehecka did at least manage to hold serve in the third set until the ninth game, when more brilliant Alcaraz defence helped him to another break, the Spaniard roaring in celebration.