Alcaraz vs. Wu: US Open Third-Round Match Preview, How to Watch, Odds

bet365 News Team Updated: 6 hours ago

Carlos Alcaraz continues his US Open campaign with a third-round clash against Yibing Wu at Flushing Meadows.

Location	Arthur Ashe Stadium
Date	Friday, September 4
Start Time	1:00 PM ET
TV Channel	ESPN

The US Open is moving at a rapid pace, and the third round is already underway in the bottom half of the men's draw. All eyes are on the return of Carlos Alcaraz, who, despite not yet being at his absolute best, is proving why he is a formidable force in the tournament.

The Spaniard is scheduled to face China's Yibing Wu. Awaiting the victor in the round of 16 will be either the 15th seed, Alexander Bublik, or the 20th seed, Tommy Paul.

Alcaraz's Path to the Third Round

There were many questions surrounding Alcaraz's form as he returned to the hard courts of New York after a forced break of over four months. The Murcian has provided encouraging answers. While he might have secured more dominant victories in the past, his current performance is promising, and his condition is expected to improve as the tournament progresses.

He has already dispatched Roman Safiullin in the first round with a straight-sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory. In the second round, he overcame Jaime Faria in four sets. The Portuguese player surprisingly took the first set 6-4, but Alcaraz mounted an overwhelming comeback, storming through the next three sets 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.

Wu's Solid Run in New York

On the other hand, Yibing Wu has had a clean run, defeating two Australian players in straight sets in the early rounds. In his opening match, the Chinese player got the better of Adam Walton 7-6, 6-2, 7-5. He followed this with an equally decisive win over James Duckworth, 7-5, 6-3, 6-1.

This strong performance comes after a difficult stretch for Wu on hard courts in Cincinnati and Winston-Salem. Notably, in the qualifying rounds of the Cincinnati Masters 1000, Wu suffered a clear defeat to Jaime Faria—the very player Alcaraz just defeated with a commanding comeback.

Head-to-Head History: Alcaraz vs. Wu

There is a significant gap of 110 positions in the ATP rankings between the two players, with Alcaraz at world No. 3 and Wu at No. 113. They have met only once before, also on a hard court, at the 2024 Shanghai Masters 1000. On that occasion, Alcaraz won 7-6, 6-3.