Before Novak Djokovic or Taylor Fritz, Carlos Alcaraz has golf showdown with Sergio Garcia

ATP Tour

Before Djokovic or Fritz, Alcaraz has golf showdown with Sergio Garcia

Spaniard is two wins away from reclaiming World No. 1 spot

Elsa/Getty Images Carlos Alcaraz is into the semi-finals at a hard-court major for the first time since 2023. By ATP Staff

Carlos Alcaraz has been swinging more than just his tennis racquet this week at the US Open, where he is into the semi-finals.

The 22-year-old Spaniard has turned his days off in New York into golf days, and on Wednesday he will face one of his toughest opponents yet: 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia.

“It’s something that is working well, so why should I change that routine? Every day off I try to play some golf,” Alcaraz said after defeating Jiri Lehecka in straight sets on Tuesday afternoon.

“Tomorrow I have a really difficult round against Juanki [Juan Carlos Ferrero] and Sergio Garcia is there. We will discuss tomorrow [how many shots I will get] but he has to give me at least 10 to 15… I’m not that good, Sergio. Come on!”

Each of Alcaraz’s five victories on Arthur Ashe Stadium so far has been punctuated not just with a roar of celebration, but with a cheeky golf swing.

The five-time major winner has been keeping himself loose and entertained during his campaign, which seems to have helped en route to reaching the last four at a major without dropping a set for the first time in his career.

“I started to play at the beginning of 2020. I just love playing,” said Alcaraz, explaining his love for golf. “I used to go to hit some balls in the driving range when I was really, really young. I liked it, but since 2020, I just started to play more, to go on the course, to play some holes. I just fell in love with golf.

“I started to play more and more. I saw myself improving, so it engaged me even more to the golf, and it has me. I just feel really peaceful when I go out and play some golf on the golf course.

“Tomorrow Sergio is here, so we are going to play some golf. I will try to learn from them. My handicap right now is 14. It's getting down, but it takes time. I mean, for me it's a privilege to have time to play some golf, to be honest.”

Throughout his campaign, Alcaraz has been imperious in all departments, but his serve has been particularly lethal.

Alcaraz dropped just seven of 45 points behind his first delivery and did not face a break point against Lehecka en route to improving to 3-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

“I've been improving my serve a lot, and just every practice, every match I've been trying to feel more comfortable with the movement, with hitting good serves, and the percentage as well for me, it's really important,” said Alcaraz.

“Tennis, it's really hard sometimes, because one day you can serve really, really well, and the next match you can feel completely different and really bad. So I'm trying to maintain the focus on the serve, just trying to do everything the same and getting the good feeling.”

Alcaraz awaits four-time US Open champion Novak Djokovic or last year’s finalist Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals. He is just two wins away from reclaiming the No. 1 spot in the PIF ATP Rankings from rival and defending champion Jannik Sinner.

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