{"id":91500,"date":"2025-08-26T22:10:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T22:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=91500"},"modified":"2025-08-26T22:10:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T22:10:00","slug":"sharp-alcaraz-pays-tribute-to-mcilroy-after-us-open-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=91500","title":{"rendered":"Sharp Alcaraz pays tribute to McIlroy after US Open win"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Spanish second seed Carlos Alcaraz marked his progress to the US Open second round with a golf swing celebration in honour of watching Masters champion Rory McIlroy.<\/p>\n

Sporting an eye-catching new haircut, 22-year-old Alcaraz looked sharp in a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory over huge-serving American opponent Reilly Opelka.<\/p>\n

The five-time major champion managed to break once in each set, avoiding being dragged into a tie-break by the sixth-best server on the ATP Tour.<\/p>\n

Alcaraz\u2019s victory came shortly after the keen golfer was introduced to Northern Ireland\u2019s McIlroy earlier on Monday at Flushing Meadows.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the first time that I met him. It was such an honour,\u201d said five-time major champion Alcaraz.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the last day of the Masters, I had just won Monte Carlo, and I was on my phone cheering on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an unbelievable experience meeting him and having a chance to talk a little bit with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just amazing to watch his golf.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeing off the challenge of Opelka \u2013 ranked 67th in the world as he continues to rebuild his career after injury \u2013 means Alcaraz has still not lost a first-round match in his 19 Grand Slam appearances.<\/p>\n

The 2022 US Open champion goes on to face Italy\u2019s Mattia Bellucci in the second round, where he suffered a shock defeat by unseeded Dutch opponent Botic van Zandschulp last year.<\/p>\n

Wong becomes latest history maker<\/h2>\n
Coleman Wong is ranked 173rd in the world<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coleman Wong was still \u201csoaking in\u201d becoming the first male player from Hong Kong to win a Grand Slam singles match in the Open era when his phone flashed with a congratulatory message from Rafael Nadal.<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old qualifier had just beaten Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-4) to secure his own slice of tennis history.<\/p>\n

Wong, who started playing tennis at the age of five, moved to Nadal\u2019s Mallorca academy in Spain at the age of 17.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still soaking it in because it\u2019s a big moment for me and also my family, and Hong Kong people back home. It means a lot,\u201d said Wong.<\/p>\n

But Nadal will not be the only one sending Wong a congratulatory message.<\/p>\n

It was in Spain that Wong met fellow history maker Alexandra Eala, who on Sunday became the first player from the Philippines in the Open era to win a Grand Slam singles match.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlex helped me a lot to get used to the environment because she was there for a long time,\u201d said Wong.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d never been to Spain before, and I barely go to Europe before. So from being a little kid from Hong Kong all the way to Spain, it\u2019s tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Open era refers to any time after 1968, when Grand Slams allowed professional players to compete alongside amateurs.<\/p>\n

Wong will face Adam Walton in the next round after the Australian beat French 22nd seed Ugo Humbert 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 6-1.<\/p>\n

Fonseca overcomes illness to progress<\/h2>\n

Brazil\u2019s highly rated teenager Joao Fonseca beat Miomir Kecmancovic to set up a second-round match against world number 21 Tomas Machac.<\/p>\n

Fonseca beat the Serb 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in two hours and 26 minutes.<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old was forced to overcome illness in the third set, first calling the trainer for a medical timeout before rushing to the side of court to vomit into a bin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first round is always a bit more tense, and today I felt a bit more sick in the third set,\u201d said Fonseca.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know what happened. I just threw up water. Sorry about that, guys, I apologise!\u201d<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, world number 17 Frances Tiafoe beat Japan\u2019s Yoshihito Nishioka 6-,3 7-6 (8-6), 6-3.<\/p>\n

American Tiafoe, who has been a semi-finalist at his home Grand Slam twice in the past three years, will face compatriot Martin Damm in the next round.<\/p>\n

Denmark\u2019s Holger Rune made heavy work of Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp to record his first US Open win since 2022.<\/p>\n

The 11th seed was two sets up with a 4-0 lead in the third set, but lost the next four games to gift Van de Zandschulp a route back into the match.<\/p>\n

But Rune held his nerve in the tie-break to seal a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) victory.<\/p>\n

Ninth seed Karen Khachanov of Russia came from a set down to beat American Nishesh Basavareddy 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5 6-1, while Russian 15th seed Andrey Rublev eased past Croatia\u2019s Dino Prizmic 6-4 6-4 6-4.<\/p>\n

Italian 24th seed Flavio Cobolli beat compatriot Francesco Passaro 7-5, 4-,6 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in an epic lasting three hours and 42 minutes.<\/p>\n

In contrast, Norwegian 12th seed Casper Ruud dispatched Austrian Sebastian Ofner 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) in under two hours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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