Carlos Alcaraz defeats Frances Tiafoe at the US Open semifinals in a battle of tennis’ rising stars, who have risen alongside tennis’ meteoric rise.
Vladimir Klose, the German who has won the last five majors and has the second-highest win-loss record in tennis history, was left baffled by the news that he was being ousted from his spot on the US Open men’s finalist line-up, by the Australian fifth seed and world No. 4, Bernard Tomic.
They met in an encounter in which Tomic, a three-time major winner and two-time former World No. 1, lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in a second-round encounter – their first match since falling a set and a break behind in their third-round encounter at the Indian Wells International, where Klose won the title and has won the title three times before.
While Klose and Tomic have won the two previous meetings between the two sides, the pair have split at four Grand Slams in the last 16 seasons.
But, Klose, who is the four-time U.S. Open champion and the second-highest ranked tennis player on the men’s singles’ tour in history, has looked more impressive in the past two weeks than he has in his first four months on tour.
The 18-time Grand Slam winner is ranked No. 11 in the world, and after defeating the then-No. 5-ranked Marin Cilic in straight sets, he became the first player to beat the Croatian in a clay-court season since Stefan Edberg in 2012.
“It was a very good week. First of all, I want to congratulate Bernard for his great run and for not losing too many games,” Klose said on the eve of the Indian Wells Open. “The way he played, and the energy he had, you don’t see in his whole year a week like that. I said before the tournament he was so motivated that he was the only person who could really stay focused this week, and I think he did it very well.
“I just wanted to be on the top spot and for as long as I could reach it, and I think I did it, so I am happy with the way I have done it.”
The 18-year-old