US Open: Dan Evans suffers defeat by world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz after four-set thriller… as Jack Draper is left to carry the flag for the Brits after strong start at Flushing Meadows
- Carlos Alcaraz toppled Dan Evans a 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-3 victory in the third round
- The British No. 2 left the court to a huge ovation, including from his opponent
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If you were making a commercial to showcase the aesthetic joys of tennis then Dan Evans against Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open on Saturday night would provide a treasure trove of material.
The sorcery of the diminutive British No 2 versus the phenomenal all round game of the young Spaniard was always likely to be a good watch, and together they brought the Arthur Ashe Stadium to its feet with a mesmerising array of points.
The scoreboard is a less forgiving witness, and ultimately it recorded a 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-3 victory for the top seed over three hours and 11 minutes.
Evans was knocked out, and he was soon followed by British No 1 Cam Norrie, beaten in straight sets by Italian Matteo Arnaldi, leaving Jack Draper as the last GB man standing.
By the time Alcaraz has finished his business here they may all be in Manchester, preparing for GB duty in next week’s qualifiers for the 2023 Davis Cup finals.
Defending champion and Wimbledon winner progressed to the US Open fourth round
The top seed toppled Brit Dan Evans a 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-3 victory over three hours and 11 minutes
Evans was trying to find consolation in having been part of a hugely entertaining contest, experiencing first hand what makes the Wimbledon champion such a challenging opponent.
‘It’s very difficult to get the ball by him would be and there’s also his variation,’ said the 33 year-old Midlander. ‘ I definitely didn’t know what’s sort of coming next and that sets you on the backfoot, it’s difficult to anticipate and see anything.’
Both players had been left grinning at some of the incredible exchanges which so delighted the crowd of 22,000; ‘Although I lost I enjoyed it, but it’s still frustrating,’ added Evans.
‘You don’t have to be miserable all the time on the court. Great atmosphere, a cool thing to be part of, it was pretty good fun out there. My goal was to just hang around and pick up the chances if I could.’
He will head back to the UK after a long stint in the US, having turned around his season with an unexpected title at the Citi Open in Washington DC: ‘I was having a horror flying out here and I’m not having a horror fly home,’ he concluded.
‘He is a tricky opponent, good slices and touch, and this is also my game, ‘ said Alcaraz. ‘ When we play each other it’s a show and people love that, some great points. The points made us smile, it is great to see that on a tennis court, we play to entertain and make the match fun.’
Evans and the young Spaniard reeled off a dazzling array of memorable points at Arthur Ashe
After a slow start there followed a showreel of wonderful exchanges in which both players manoeuvered each other to every corner of the court. Evans nicked the third set to briefly excite thoughts of a historic upset. He stood toe-to-toe in the fourth before being broken for 4-2 thanks to a quite staggering forehand passing winner from the Spaniard which clipped the back of the line, leaving the British player staring at him in astonishment and disbelief.
Nothing which happened suggests that next Sunday will be anything other than a showdown between Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, repeating the dramatic championship seen at SW19 earlier this summer.
Overnight the Serb had been given a proper scare, losing the first two sets to compatriot Laslo Djere before winning comfortably enough in the end at 130am on Saturday morning.
With No 9 Taylor Fritz the highest seed left in Djokovic’s half it is difficult not to see him keeping his side of the bargain. Alcaraz has a tougher second week draw, and in the next round he will face Italian Matteo Arnaldi, who shocked British No 1 Norrie 6-3 6-4 6-3.
Evans, the British No 2 nicked the third set and stood toe-to-toe in the fourth
Arnaldi played a gruelling five setter in the second round versus Frenchman Arthur Fils, and Norrie would have been hoping to grind him down in the manner that he has done to so many opponents in recent years.
The Italian had trained with Andy Murray up in the Hamptons before the tournament and looked much better than his ranking of 61. Norrie failed to get him into the kind of attritional battle he would have fancied, and was left trying to look on the bright side of having snapped his post-Wimbledon losing streak.
‘I always tell myself I’m tougher to beat over five sets and I think I’ve not shown that this year,’ he admitted. ‘I knew he was a top player and he is tricky, he mixed it up really well. He won a lot of the tough points so credit to him.’
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