Carlos Alcaraz produced one of the most entertaining moments of his US Open run when he discovered his expected quarterfinal opponent was not who he thought it would be. After defeating Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the round of 16, the defending champion appeared ready to discuss the next stage of his title defense.
Instead, a surprise correction from Andy Roddick left Alcaraz visibly stunned during a live television interview.
Alcaraz got his draw wrong
Alcaraz initially believed his next opponent would come from the clash between Frances Tiafoe and Daniil Medvedev. Roddick then revealed that the quarterfinal would actually feature the winner of Ben Shelton and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Alcaraz’s immediate reaction of shock drew laughter and quickly became one of the tournament’s most memorable off-court moments.
“You’re either going to play Shelton or Tsitsipas,” Roddick said. “Maybe just a word on both of them and the challenges …”Roddick quizzed the Spaniard on his interview for ESPN.
Alcaraz shook, said “Really? Oh my God, I thought I was playing Medvedev-Tiafoe,” before bursting into laughter.
Alcaraz has built a reputation of being easy going and the exchange added to his image. It is what endears him to the fans, who loved his candidness during the interview.
Shelton Earns His Chance
Shelton later made sure there would be no confusion about the matchup, powering past Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. The American delivered an impressive performance from start to finish, controlling the match with aggressive tennis and keeping Tsitsipas under pressure. His victory earned him a quarterfinal meeting with Alcaraz on Tuesday.
