Carlos Alcaraz ‘trying not to think’ about world No. 1 spot after ‘spectacular’ win over Marin Cilic at US Open

Alcaraz will take on Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner, who also needed to go the full distance to beat Ilya Ivashka, in the quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

“The truth is that I don’t think about it [world No. 1], well, let’s say I try not to think about it,” Alcaraz told the press.

“I’m still a long way off, I have to win two or three matches and with an opponent as difficult as Sinner in front of me, I only think about that.

“There are very high level opponents. Jannik is one of them, but the other players show a great level; for example, I think Tiafoe has a great chance based on the tennis he played today.”

The 19-year-old revealed he has “never played tennis so late” in his career so far.

“It was a spectacular feeling,” added Alcaraz. “The public support was decisive, it gave me the energy I needed to win. It was very hard to lose the fourth set, Marin didn’t have a single break point and suddenly I found myself with a break at the end.

“Starting with a break in the fifth was difficult, but I always believed in my chances. I knew that if I kept pushing and staying positive, I would have my chances.”

“Obviously winning in three sets is preferable, but it’s also true that winning such a battle gives you a lot of confidence.

“This match lets me see that I’m ready to compete at the highest level for more than four hours. I’ve been strong tennis-wise, mentally and physically, which is very important for everything ahead of us. The truth is that I’m looking forward to it and I’m going to go for it.”

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