Alcaraz, Sinner Advance To US Open 3R, Murray Out, Berrettini Injured; Djokovic, Top Americans Fri.

After a quick night Monday, Carlos Alcaraz had to work a little to keep his title defense alive at the US Open. The Spaniard overcame a break deficit 4-2 in the third to defeat Lloyd Harris 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(4).

Harris, a former US Open quarterfinals in 2021, came up with some big forehands in the third and strong net play, but couldn’t get a set.

“I played a great match from the beginning of the match until the last ball,” Alcaraz said after his 9th straight US Open win. “If I have to pick out something I think I played a good second set without many mistakes and playing my game.

“I did have a bad game in the third set when I got broken and I had to forget it,” he added. “I stayed strong mentally and played a great return game to break back. It was very important for me to get another straight-sets win in the first rounds.”

Alcaraz will now take on Dan Evans who won in four sets over former quarterfinalist Botic Van De Zandschulp 1-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.

The Brits went 7-0 in the first round combined, but today lost Andy Murray. Murray got dumped in fairly routine fashion by Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-4, 6-1. Dimitrov outlasted Murray in a tough 63-minute first set and then Murray couldn’t physically match the Bulgarian.

Murray hasn’t made a deep Slam run since 2017.

“It’s obviously disappointing to not play how you would like. But maybe I need to accept that, these events, I had the deep runs and everything that I felt like I’m capable of, they might not be there, as well,” Murray said. “I’m aware what I’m doing, it’s unbelievably challenging to play at the highest level as I am now. And some days it’s harder than others. But yeah, today is obviously a really disappointing defeat and probably the manner of it as well.

“I fought hard enough, but just didn’t play well enough. Ultimately these are the events that you want to play your best tennis in, and create more great moments and didn’t do that this year.”

Jannik Sinner continues to look strong blowing through Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Sinner, who hasn’t dropped serve this US Open, has never lost to a countryman.

Sinner lost just four points on first serve and never faced a break point.

Andrey Rublev took care of Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Rublev, a 3-time US Open quarterfinals, connected on 31 winners and broke Monfils six times.

Other matches saw 13th-seeded Alex De Minaur steamroll Yibing Wu of China in three 6-1, 6-2, 6-1. No. 16 seed Cameron Norrie handled Yu Hsiou Hsu 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.

Former finalist Alexander Zverev defeating countryman Daniel Altmaier 7-6(7-1), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Jack Draper eliminated an ailing Hubert Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 who was struggling with illness.

Stan Wawrinka bullied No. 30 Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(8-6), 6-7(7-9), 6-3, 6-2. France’s Arthur Rinderknech advanced when Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 5-3 retired with a right ankle turn.

And John Isner played his final match going down in the fifth set tiebreaker to fellow American Michael Mmoh 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(7-3), 6-4, 7-6(10-7).

In the late match, Daniil Medvedev could close out Christopher O’Connell after a two sets and a break lead in three and to a fourth they were going.

The third round begins Friday with No. 2 Novak Djokovic taking on another Serb in No. 32 Laslo Djere. Djokovic won their only meeting in Belgrade last year.

“A very nice guy, very humble,” Djokovic said of Djere. “Just very quiet, you know. Just goes about his things. You know, works as hard as anybody and tries his best.

“He’s really dedicated to the game. You know, I really like him as a person and as a player, as well.”

No. 9 Taylor Fritz battles Jakub Mensik, No. 10 Frances Tiafoe will meet No. 22 Adrian Mannarino and No. 14 Tommy Paul faces No. 21 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

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