NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz was cruising along in the third round of the U.S. Open, leading by a set and a break after taking 10 of the first 14 games in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday, when an awkward step while striking a forehand caused a problem with his right knee.
The No. 2-seeded Alcaraz, who won the first of his five Grand Slam titles at Flushing Meadows in 2022, got broken for the first time in the tournament, then took a medical timeout and had his leg massaged by a trainer. Problem solved: Alcaraz rolled through the rest of the match, never dropping another game, and beat No. 32 Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-4, 6-0.
It was the first, brief hint of any trouble for the 22-year-old Spaniard this week — well, other than the haircutting mistake by his brother that led to a shaved head.
He didn’t let teasing from American player Frances Tiafoe about that bother him, and Alcaraz didn’t seem too concerned about what went on with his knee against Darderi, a 23-year-old Italian who was making his debut as a seeded player at a major championship tournament.
“I just felt something that was not working good in the knee, but after five, six points, it was gone,” Alcaraz said, describing the visit from the trainer as precautionary. “I’m going to talk with my team, but I’m not worried about it.”