US Open: Carlos Alcaraz dazzles in new pink outfit, hammers Darderi to enter Round 4

Carlos Alcaraz delivered a commanding performance on Friday, defeating Italy’s Luciano Darderi in straight sets to reach the US Open 2025 fourth round. The Spaniard, who drew attention earlier in the week with his buzzcut, turned heads again with a striking pink outfit before cruising to a 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 victory in just an hour and 44 minutes.

Alcaraz has yet to drop a set in the tournament and has now notched his 20th win in his last 21 matches, with his only loss coming against Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final. The win secured his fourth pre-quarterfinal berth in New York, and he remains on track not only for another deep run but also to reclaim the World No. 1 spot from Sinner.

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Alcaraz, who lifted the US Open title three years ago as a teenager, lightened the mood after the match, joking that morning starts were a struggle for him and that he was just trying to stay awake.

“I just tried to start awake, that was important. Starting at 11:30 a.m. is not a schedule that I’m used to playing, so my first goal is to start well, to start focussed. I think I started really well, pushing him to the limit, playing long rallies, and after that kept it going,” Alcaraz said in the on-court interview.

“I’m not a [morning] person. For me, it’s difficult to wake up in the mornings, so that’s a good thing today that I woke up early, I did the warm-up well, played good... It seems like I’m a Spanish guy!" Alcaraz added.

Alcaraz breezes past Darderi

Alcaraz was ruthless in every department, particularly in the forehand exchanges, showing little mercy despite a brief stumble in the second set. After racing to a 4-1 lead, he surrendered serve for the first time all week and appeared to land awkwardly while serving, which momentarily opened the door for his opponent.

At 5-4, the 22-year-old Spaniard called for a medical timeout to receive treatment on his right knee. But any concerns were short-lived, as he immediately regained his rhythm and rattled off seven straight games to seize back control and power through to victory.

Next up, Alcaraz will face the winner of the all-French clash between Benjamin Bonzi and Arthur Rinderknech.