“Match against Carlos Alcaraz was a reference point for me” - Matteo Arnaldi reveals key takeaways from his US Open encounter with the Spaniard

Matteo Arnaldi recently discussed his key learnings from his match against former World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz at the 2023 US Open.

Arnaldi, 22, had a remarkable run at the Flushing Meadows. The Italian received a walkover against Jason Kubler in the first round before defeating Arthur Fils in a five-set thriller in the second round. He then beat 16th seed Cameron Norrie in straight sets in the third round.

However, his US Open campaign came to an end when he faced defending champion Alcaraz. The Spaniard, who was in excellent form, showed no mercy and dominated the match from start to finish, winning 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Despite the lopsided scoreline, Arnaldi said he enjoyed playing on the biggest stage of tennis and learned a lot from Alcaraz. The 22-year-old said he was not intimidated by the occasion or by his rival, but rather motivated to improve his level and challenge him in the future.

“I think it was a great experience for me to play against Carlos on Arthur Ashe Stadium," Arnaldi said after the match. "He is an amazing player and a great champion. I tried to play my best tennis, but he was too good for me today. He showed me what I needed to do to reach his level. He is very strong mentally, very calm and focused."

"He doesn’t give you any free points or any chances to come back. He plays every point like it’s the last one. He is also very smart and knows how to play on different surfaces and against different opponents. He has a lot of variety and can change the rhythm of the game at any moment. I learned a lot from him and I hope I can play him again soon," he added

Matteo Arnaldi recently lost the first round to Aslan Karatsev in three sets in the Zhuhai Championships. He will now face Daniel Elahi Galan in the qualifying round of the 2023 China Open.

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"From Canada all the way to the US Open, we saw more frustration in Carlos Alcaraz than ever" - Greg Rusedski

Carlos Alcaraz at the 2023 US Open

Carlos Alcaraz had a disappointing North American hardcourt swing, according to former British-Canadian player Greg Rusedski.

Alcaraz won the Wimbledon Championships in July but was knocked out of the Canadian Open in the quarterfinals and lost the Cincinnati Open final to Novak Djokovic. At the US Open, Alcaraz lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals.

Rusedski believes that Alcaraz was mentally exhausted after a long and successful season, adding that the 20-year-old should rest and recover before returning to competition.

"I think that's one of the reasons why he (Carlos Alcaraz) missed the Davis Cup. Because mentally he is so fatigued from everything that he's been through. He needs a little break," he said on the latest episode of the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast.

"Let's not forget, from Canada all the way to the US Open, we saw more frustration in Carlos than we've seen throughout the last few years. So this is a nice time for him to reset," he added.

Carlos Alcaraz will join the China Open in Beijing, which begins on September 28.