NEW YORK - Carlos Alcaraz proved he can dazzle crowds at any time of day, cruising past Arthur Rinderknech in Sunday's US Open fourth round, while Jessica Pegula credited an escape room outing and a couple of drinks for overcoming a mid-tournament crisis.
The Spanish second seed showed his trademark flair on Arthur Ashe Stadium for the second straight day session, treating the crowd to a behind-the-back trick shot that quickly went viral on social media.
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Alcaraz's showmanship was matched by substance, defeating Rinderknech 7-6(3) 6-3 6-4 with clinical precision to extend his perfect record at this year's tournament without dropping a set.
"The energy is special playing the day session, playing the night session, it doesn't matter," said the five-times major winner, who smacked 36 winners past the Frenchman.
"That's why I just play my best tennis here in New York."
Fourth seed Pegula continued her own flawless run by dismantling compatriot Ann Li 6-1 6-2, but revealed she nearly abandoned practice entirely during the tournament after a disastrous Wednesday session with top seed Aryna Sabalenka.
"I felt terrible coming into this tournament, honestly. I had a practice Wednesday, I think I hit with Sabalenka. She killed me. I was playing terrible," said Pegula.
"Then we went out for a second hour, and I stopped halfway through the hour and was, like, 'I'm done, this isn't good. I don't know why I'm out here practicing'."
Last year's runner-up found her solution away from the courts with an unconventional reset strategy.
"Went and did an escape room with my friends and had like two drinks and was, like, 'I need to just chill and stop getting so frustrated and over-thinking all these practices'," she said.
The change in tack seems to have worked a treat.
Pegula described her performance on Sunday as "probably the best match I've played since before Wimbledon."
The American's mid-tournament turnaround has been remarkable, after struggling through the summer with first-round exits at Wimbledon and early departures in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati.
"Compared to last year, it's been like a complete 180 with how I felt," Pegula admitted.
Alcaraz will face Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals, with their head-to-head standing at 1-1 this year, after the Czech prevailed in Doha and Alcaraz won their Queen's Club final clash.
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"Of course, he's one of the two biggest challenges right now in tennis," said Lehecka, who defeated Adrian Mannarino 7-6(4) 6-4 2-6 6-2.
"We have never played each other on a Grand Slam stage."
Pegula will face Barbora Krejcikova after the Czech survived eight match points in a gladiatorial three-hour battle with Taylor Townsend, winning 1-6 7-6(13) 6-3 in the longest tiebreak of the tournament.
