Former champion Carlos Alcaraz continued his imperious march at the US Open, staying on course for a potentially high-voltage showdown with 24-times Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.
The second-seeded Spaniard produced yet another clinical display to beat Czech 20th seed Jiri Lehecka 6-4 6-2 6-4 in the quarterfinals at a sunbathed Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday and secured his spot in the last four without dropping a set this year.
The 22-year-old, who is chasing his first hardcourt Grand Slam title since his 2022 triumph at Flushing Meadows and sixth overall, will await the winner of the evening session encounter between Djokovic and local hope Taylor Fritz.
Alcaraz can take the world No 1 ranking from Italian Jannik Sinner if he emerges triumphant in New York at the end of the fortnight, but is trying not to think about that at this stage.
"If I think about the world number one spot too much, I'm going to put pressure on myself and I don't want to do that," Alcaraz said.
"I just want to step on court, try to do my things, follow my goals and try to enjoy as much as I can."
PERFECT RUN
While his rivalry with Alcaraz is close, Djokovic has not lost a match in 10 meetings with Fritz and the Serb will try to keep his perfect run going against the American in the final match of the evening on the main showcourt.
The 38-year-old has lost some of his fire - failing to make a Grand Slam final all year - but his desire to win a 25th major title and go past Margaret Court still burns at the tournament where he has hoisted the trophy four times previously.
Fourth seed Fritz is the home fans' only remaining hope to end a 22-year American men's drought at the US Open, a year after he came up short in the final to Italian Jannik Sinner.
Kiwi Michael Venus is into the quarters with partner Yuki Bhambri, of India, after they beat German pair Tim Putz and Kevin Krawietz 6-4 6-4.
Meanwhile, Venus Williams bowed out of the US Open after she and Canadian partner Leylah Fernandez were outclassed by top seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova 6-1 6-2 in the women’s quarter-finals.
Townsend and Siniakova, reigning Australian Open champions, needed just 22 minutes to sweep the opening set and quickly built an unassailable lead in the second, breaking again after Williams and Fernandez's lengthy first service game.
Despite the roar of support for the North American duo from the Louis Armstrong stadium crowd, Williams and Fernandez were overpowered, with Townsend and Siniakova dictating play from start to finish.
The victory sent the top seeds into the semi-finals, where they will meet fourth seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens.
Even in defeat, the American veteran drew admiration from her opponents.
"It's tough to describe it in words, it's a privilege. She is a legend and I really enjoyed it," Siniakova said of facing Venus, who claimed 14 Grand Slam doubles titles pairing with her sister Serena.
Walkover for Sabalenka
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka received a walkover into the US Open semi-finals after Marketa Vondrousova was forced to withdraw due to injury, organisers said.
Vondrousova, Wimbledon champion in 2023, had impressed in New York with upset victories over seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and ninth seed Elena Rybakina. But injury again derailed the 26-year-old, who has endured long spells on the sidelines in recent seasons.
Sabalenka became only the third woman in the professional era to receive a walkover into a Grand Slam semi-final, joining Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (Australian Open 1992) and Fabiola Zuluaga (Australian Open 2004).
The top seed now face American Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals, setting up a rematch of last year’s final.
Pegula earlier dispatched twice Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3 6-3 in a clinical display.
Fourth-ranked Pegula had a dreadful run-up to the year's final major but has flipped the script in New York, where she has yet to drop a set and fired off 17 winners to beat the unseeded Czech.
