US Open: Carlos Alcaraz beats Dan Evans, enters last 16

Alcaraz's next foe is Matteo Arnaldi, a 22-year-old from Italy who is ranked 61st

New York: Alcaraz was by no means perfect during a 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory over the 26th-seeded Dan Evans in the US Open’s third round on Saturday — there was that wayward set, after all — but the defending champion produced enough moments of brilliance to keep himself smiling and his many fans in New York roaring in approval.

To hear the No. 1-seeded Alcaraz explain it, “a lot of different” possibilities enter his mind in the midst of a point — “the dropshot, big forehand, go to the net, multiple things” — before he selects which stroke to try. It can make things “difficult” on occasion, he said.

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Alcaraz’s next foe is Matteo Arnaldi, a 22-year-old from Italy who is ranked 61st. Arnaldi, who had won a grand total of one Grand Slam match before this tournament, reached the fourth round by eliminating No. 16 seed Cameron Norrie of Britain 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

The women’s fourth round will feature No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka against No. 13 Daria Kasatkina, and No. 5 Ons Jabeur against No. 23 Zheng Qinwen.

Sabalenka — who won the Australian Open in January and can overtake Iga Swiatek at No. 1 in the WTA rankings depending on their results at the U.S. Open — defeated Clara Burel and has dropped a total of just 12 games through three matches so far.