Carlos Alcaraz has had a superb US Open so far, breezing into the quarter-final stages with relative ease.
Alcaraz is winning plaudits on and off the court and he confirmed his place in the last eight with a victory over Arthur Rindknech.
This year’s US Open comes with added pressure, as Alcaraz could topple Sinner as World No. 1 if he progresses further than the Italian.
With plenty on the line, Alcaraz could achieve something that no other player has managed in the Open Era.
Carlos Alcaraz could become the first player to win the US Open without dropping a set
Alcaraz’s progress through to the quarter-finals of the US Open has been without a hitch, with the Spaniard yet to drop a set.
That makes him the only player in the men’s draw to not drop a set at the tournament, with Sinner dropping a sole set against Denis Shapovalov in round three.
That means Alcaraz is just three matches away from becoming the first-ever US Open champion to win the tournament without dropping a set.
Five players in the Open Era have won a Grand Slam without dropping a set, but it’s never happened at Flushing Meadows.
Alcaraz’s next test comes against World No. 21 Jiri Lehecka, who knocked out Borna Coric, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Raphael Collignon, and Adrian Mannarino to reach the quarter-final.
The five players to win a Grand Slam without dropping a set
The five players who have won a Grand Slam without dropping a set might come as a surprise, particularly as Novak Djokovic has not achieved the feat in any of his 24 Grand Slam wins.
Unsurprisingly, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have achieved the feat multiple times, with the Swiss star not dropping a single set at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
| Players who have won a Grand Slam without dropping a set | Grand Slam | Year |
| Ilia Nastase | Roland Garros | 1973 |
| Roger Federer | Australian Open and Wimbledon | 2007 and 2017 |
| Bjorn Borg | Wimbledon and Roland Garros | 1976, 1978, and 1980 |
| Rafael Nadal | Roland Garros | 2008, 2010, 2017, and 2020 |
| Ken Rosewall | Australian Open | 1971 |
Nadal truly proved he was the ‘King of Clay’ on four occasions by winning the Grand Slam without losing a set.
Ken Rosewall, Bjorn Borg, and Ilia Nastase also achieved the feat in Australia, France, and the UK, but it’s yet to be done at the US Open.