US Open 2021: Auger-Aliassime reaches maiden major semifinal after shock Alcaraz retirement

Alcaraz,
who
had
won
back-to-back
five-setters
to
reach
the
last
eight,
retired
68
minutes
into
Tuesday’s
quarter-final
trailing
6-3
3-1.

The
result
means
Auger-Aliassime,
who
has
never
won
an
ATP
Tour
title,
will
take
on
second
seed
Daniil
Medvedev
in
the
semi-finals
on
Friday.

US
Open
2021:
Medvedev
seals
semifinal
spot

The
Spanish
18-year-old
was
attended
to
by
a
physiotherapist
2-1
down
in
the
second
set
and
was
seen
pointing
to
his
upper
right
leg
without
receiving
any
discernible
treatment.

Alcaraz
had
not
shown
any
major
signs
of
injury
prior
to
that
yet
withdrew
following
the
completion
of
the
next
game
with
the
Canadian
in
control.

Beyond
the
unusual
circumstances,
the
victory
marks
a
major
milestone
for
21-year-old
Auger-Aliassime,
who
joins
countrywoman
Leylah
Fernandez
in
reaching
this
year’s
US
Open
semi-finals.

This
marks
the
second
time
that
two
Canadians
have
reached
the
semis
in
the
same
grand
slam,
joining
Milos
Raonic
and
Eugenie
Bouchard
at
Wimbledon
in
2014.

Auger-Aliassime,
whose
best
previous
major
result
was
reaching
this
year’s
Wimbledon
quarter-finals,
was
strong
on
his
first
serve
early,
delivering
6-1
aces
in
the
first
set.

Leading
3-2,
the
Canadian
broke
Alcaraz
at
the
third
attempt,
before
both
players
held
to
give
Auger-Aliassime
the
chance
to
serve
for
the
set
at
5-3.

In
a
dramatic
game,
Auger-Aliassime
offered
up
three
break
points
trailing
0-40,
only
to
rally
and
win
the
game
to
close
out
the
set
in
44
minutes,
aided
by
12
winners.

The
21-year-old
broke
Alcaraz
in
the
first
game
of
the
second
set,
before
Alcaraz’s
premature
retirement,
handing
the
Canadian
victory.

Data
Slam:
First
of
a
new
men’s
generation

Auger-Aliassime
becomes
the
first
male
born
in
the
2000s
to
reach
a
Grand
Slam
semi-final,
marking
a
new
generation
in
men’s
tennis.

WINNERS/UNFORCED
ERRORS

Auger-Aliassime
–
15/16

Alcaraz
–
9/16

ACES/DOUBLE
FAULTS

Auger-Aliassime
–
8/4

Alcaraz
–
1/1

BREAK
POINTS
WON

Auger-Aliassime
–
2/7

Alcaraz
–
0/3