Match report: Alcaraz outplays Lehecka to reach US Open semifinals
Carlos Alcaraz moved into the semifinals of the US Open 2025 with a composed win over Jiri Lehecka on Tuesday, September 2, at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The quarterfinal began at 10:10 PM IST for viewers in India and delivered the kind of high-end baseline exchanges this stage usually demands. Alcaraz came in unbeaten this fortnight and looked the part. Lehecka, riding a strong run of form, pushed hard but met a player in full control of his game.
This was the 145th edition of the tournament, and the atmosphere matched the stakes. Early on, Alcaraz established rhythm behind a reliable first serve and quick first step to the forehand. He mixed pace and height, then cut points short with his favorite surprise — the drop shot — to keep Lehecka guessing. When rallies stretched, Alcaraz’s balance on the backhand and his ability to switch defense to offense gave him the edge.
Lehecka did not fade. The Czech brought his trademark flat backhand, punched through the court with a heavy forehand, and leaned on a strong serve to stay in touch. His best moments came when he took time away, stepping inside the baseline to rip returns and force Alcaraz wide. But in the longer exchanges, the Spaniard’s variety — topspin, slice, angles, and the quick transition forward — kept the scoreboard pressure on Lehecka.
Key passages came on return games late in sets. Alcaraz managed the tight points with calm shot selection, often going serve plus one to the open court, then sliding a short angle to drag Lehecka off balance. On the flip side, Lehecka aimed his serve wide on the deuce side to open space for the next ball, a pattern that worked in spurts but grew predictable as Alcaraz adjusted his return position.
The court positioning battle was subtle but decisive. Alcaraz started deeper on return, absorbed pace, then moved forward after the first neutral ball. When Lehecka tried to rush the net, Alcaraz threaded passes or used the dipping slice to set up the lob. In baseline-to-baseline exchanges, Alcaraz’s footwork let him take the ball early without overhitting, turning defense into control rather than all-out attack.
The physical load did not overwhelm either player, but the accumulation of long rallies favored Alcaraz. He saved his legs by finishing points at the net when he could and chose his moments to press. Even when service games tightened, his body language stayed positive — quick between points, careful with the towel, and clear with the routine.
The win keeps Alcaraz in the hunt in New York, a city where he already knows how to lift the trophy. The semifinal marks another deep slam run for the Spaniard, who is blending a more measured serve with the creativity that made him a champion. There were no fireworks for the sake of it. Instead, the night showed a player who can manage tempo, shape, and risk on demand.
Tactics, broadcast reach, and what comes next
Tactically, the match turned on serve direction and the first two shots. Alcaraz varied body, T, and wide serves to avoid giving Lehecka the same look twice. His plus-one forehand did its usual damage, especially when he aimed inside-out to the Lehecka backhand, then flipped inside-in to close the angle. On return, he took half a step back early in sets, then crept forward as he read the toss, a small tweak that paid off in key games.
Lehecka’s plan was clear: hit big, shorten points, and keep Alcaraz off the middle of the court. When he landed first serves and found the forehand quickly, he held comfortably. The trouble came when rallies stretched past three or four balls. At that point, Alcaraz’s tools — the soft hands, the disguised drop, and the backhand down the line — tilted the exchanges. The Czech leaves with a strong tournament under his belt and a clearer idea of what plays at the sharp end of a Grand Slam.
For Indian fans, the quarterfinal aired on the Star Sports Network with live streaming on the JioHotstar app and website. The timing — a 10:10 PM IST start — made it prime evening viewing. Beyond TV, the match drew heavy attention on digital feeds, with point-by-point clips, rally breakdowns, and heatmap snapshots highlighting serve patterns and return depth. It was a reminder of how today’s tennis audience tracks more than just the score.
This US swing has been about managing conditions as much as opponents. Hard courts in New York reward first-strike tennis, but the best adjust on the fly, and Alcaraz did exactly that. He protected his serve under pressure, showed patience in neutral rallies, and took the initiative at the right times. That combination is why he will line up in the last four later this week.
The broader frame matters too. The event is the fourth and final Grand Slam of the season, bringing the world’s best to Queens from August 18 to September 7. The scale of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the rhythm of New York add their own pressure. Handling it is part of the job in a second week, and Alcaraz looked comfortable with the noise, the size, and the stakes.
As for what comes next, recovery and preparation start immediately. Expect a light hit, treatment, and a scouting session built around opponent tendencies — serve clusters on big points, preferred rally patterns, and backhand tolerance under stress. The focus will be on controlling service games and picking return games to press, the same blueprint that worked here.
For Lehecka, this run should bump his confidence and sharpen his scheduling for the indoor hard-court swing. He showed he can live with the pace and weight of ball at the top level. The next step is holding that level deep into sets against elite defenders who can also attack.
At the end of a tight, tactical quarterfinal, the headline is simple: Alcaraz is still standing in New York. For a player chasing more major silverware, winning matches like this — where patience counts as much as power — is exactly how you build a title run at the US Open 2025.
