Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic edged closer to a semi-final showdown at the US Open on Friday as Aryna Sabalenka avenged the memory of a bitter defeat to power into the last 16. Spanish second seed Alcaraz and Serbian legend Djokovic both booked their passage into the last 16 with comfortable victories and now stand just two wins away from meeting in the last four. Alcaraz breezed past Italian 32nd seed Luciano Darderi in emphatic fashion, winning 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 on the Arthur Ashe Stadium while Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, took care of Britain`s Cam Norrie 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-3. 

Alcaraz`s one hour 44-minute victory sends the 2022 US Open champion into a meeting on Sunday against France`s Arthur Rinderknech, who defeated compatriot Benjamin Bonzi 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. The five-time Grand Slam singles champion admitted he had been nervous about having to open the day`s play at 11.30am local time. "I`m not an early morning person so it`s difficult for me to wake up in the morning," Alcaraz said. "One of the good things today though I woke up early, did the warm up and felt good." Alcaraz needed a medical timeout while leading 5-4 in the second set for treatment on his right knee, but later said he had no injury concerns.

Djokovic milestone

Djokovic, 38, meanwhile was clinical in his win over Norrie in the evening session, which sends him into a fourth round tie against German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff. "Coming into any match you really want to win in straight sets without any drama but obviously that`s not possible," said Djokovic after becoming the oldest man to reach the US Open last 16 since Jimmy Connors in 1991. "It`s good that I get tested," he added. "I`m still trying to find my rhythm and my groove on the court." Djokovic`s fourth round opponent Struff dealt a blow to American hopes of a first home US Open champion since 2003 with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) defeat of popular 17th seed Frances Tiafoe. "I don`t know how to recover from this, to be honest with you," Tiafoe said. "I haven`t been this down in a very, very long time." Tiafoe`s exit came after another disappointing loss for US fans, with big-serving Ben Shelton departing the Louis Armstrong Stadium in tears after being forced to retire after the fourth set of his match against French veteran Adrian Mannarino. Shelton, 22, was leading 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 when he began to feel pain in his left shoulder. He played on but threw in the towel after Mannarino took the fourth set. "I`m not a guy who would retire if I could continue," said a dejected Shelton.