By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday September 5, 2021
18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz become the youngest quarterfinalist in US Open history on Sunday in New York.
Photo Source: Getty
Carlos Alcaraz is the US Open’s gift that keeps on giving. Two days after stunning No.3-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in a thriller on Arthur Ashe, the Spanish teen was back in business, taking down German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk to become the youngest quarterfinalist in US Open Open Era history.
"I'm super excited to be in my first second week in the Grand Slam, so it's amazing for me. It's a dream come true, no?" Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference.
Alcaraz’s 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 victory on Grandstand makes him the youngest player to earn back-to-back five-set victories at a Slam since Michael Chang at the 1988 US Open.
An interesting side note: Alcaraz and Gojowczyk played the 33rd five-setter of the 2021 US Open, which is two shy of the tournament record. And there’s still plenty of tennis left to play. It truly is a wild and wide open US Open.
Alcaraz, ranked 55, will face the winner of Frances Tiafoe and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals.
"I knew that Peter is a really good player," Alcaraz said. "I had to play a really good level, so I tried not to think about the Stefanos match. Yeah, to be focusing in this match, I knew that it's going to be a really tough match against a really great player. Every day is a new day, so the past day, you have to forget it and still focus on next rounds."
The Spaniard, who is coached by former US Open finalist Juan Carlos Ferrero, has made his debut at each of the four Grand Slams this year. He made big waves at Roland Garros as well, where he qualified and reached the third round to become the youngest player in a Grand Slam third round since Nadal, 17, at 2004 Australian Open and in Roland Garros third round since Andrei Medvedev, 17, in 1992.
It was a back and forth physical battle that saw both players struggle with their bodies. But Alcaraz was able to find his fire while Gojowczyk, who later told reporters that he was cramping and struggling to lift up for his serve, couldn’t keep up the level.
“He’s so talented” Gojowczyk said of Alcaraz. “I think he was struggling to in the fourth set, but then in the end he was pumped. He’s going for it, 18 years old, still young – he’s an amazing player, good strokes from the baseline and even the first serve. He has a great future.”
Alcaraz is part of a trio of 18-year-olds that reached the round of 16 in New York, along with Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, who also reached the quarterfinals by defeating Angelique Kerber, and Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who faces Shelby Rogers in the round of 16 on Monday in New York.
More to follow…