Alcaraz enjoys, Muguruza improves and Badosa falls

After a scorching start, blissfully hot and blissfully humid in New York, the weather softens in Flushing Meadows, although there really is no respite here.

This is the first week of a big one, so you know: nobody gives anything away, everything is dizzying.

Time makes the performance of tennis players a little more bearable, yes, but the slightest mistake costs the skid.

It is suffered by Paula Badosa, who cannot escape the negative spiral in which she entered in the spring and leaves New York, her New York because she is a New Yorker from the cradle, empty and again with a bad taste in her mouth .

She was pushed out of the way by Petra Martic (6-7(5), 6-1 and 6-2 in favor of the Croatian, after 2h 06) and the bad luck at

continues, because Badosa has not managed to get through the second round of the tournament in none of the four times he has visited it: first in 2019 and 2020, and second last year and now too.

Her fortune is elusive in this

for her, who started the year at full capacity and has been decompressing, losing physical and mental spark;

consequently competitive.

The Sydney trophy in January is far away, and this Thursday's setback adds questions to the final stretch of the season, with the November Masters Cup at risk.

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Serena Williams lengthens her last dance

“I have to recover the competitive spirit and the claw, that tranquility that I had, in quotes.

Self-confidence goes away when you don't win games,” she indicates;

“It has been a year of new experiences for me.

I keep working and training just as well, but luck also counts.”

Badosa is the current number four in the world –she rose to number two in April–, but she has lost her way in the annual race and those behind are coming strong.

She is eighth in the

, which marks the cut, and she already feels the breath of the beasts (Garcia, Keys, Kudermetova, Bencic...).

Her name disappears from the main draw and it is confirmed once again that, like New York, this is

.

There are already five players installed in the top ten of the world list who have fallen early: Anett Konteveit (2nd), Maria Sakkari (3rd), Simona Halep (7th) and Daria Kasatkina (9th) also gave way.

Carlitos, leader in victories

The day starts crooked in a Spanish key, but then Carlos Alcaraz intervenes with that spectacular repertoire and that Arthur Ashe likes so much.

Before the Williams parade down there and turn everything upside down again, the Murcian (19 years old) applies himself from start to finish against Federico Coria, whom he dispatches with effort, but not with complications.

Superb approach at the net: 49 approaches, 38 hits.

He just looks ahead.

In the next season, the Spaniard (6-2, 6-1 and 7-5, in 2h 10m) will face the American Jeson Brooksby, executioner of Borna Coric.

“Yes, I am enjoying it”, he confirms before the journalists, after having fun to get around the pressure.

“I am very happy, because that means that I am playing at a good level in all the tournaments, not only in the big ones.

But this is not over yet, I must continue like this, ”he replies when reminded that he is the ATP player with the most victories this year with 46, the same as the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.

HUGE @GarbiMuguruza!

🌀

The Spanish returns in a big way to a third round of Grand Slam 👏#USOpen #USOpenEurosport pic.twitter.com/SJaam2tpvW

– Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) September 1, 2022

Garbiñe Muguruza also arrives on the third leg of the tournament, who beats Linda Fruhvirtova (6-0 and 6-4, in 1h 11m) and continues to accumulate those vitamins that she needs so much because in these rough water times, each victory is gold.

The junior rages, but her former No. 1 placates her and she puts up her best record in a

this season.

Ahead of her is a challenge from the top, Petra Kvitova.

The Czech, who will face the crossover well rested because Jiri Vanek has given up the duel and has not had to take to the track, beat him in the 2017 edition. Then, Garbiñe dominated from the highest, eighth.

"Getting victories gives you confidence, allows you to recover your instinct," he values, trusting that Saturday's duel can give him wings;

“It is a challenge because the last games have fallen on their side [the last six of the seven they have played] and the one we played here [7-6(3) and 6-3 for the rival] was also very tight.

If I manage to win, maybe it will give me that energy and that faith that tells you that you can keep going.

Winning the

ranks reaffirms you and tells you that you are on the right track”.

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