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Few 18-year-olds have had as eventful of a year as #NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik. From a Top 100 breakthrough to an elbow injury and final exams, there has been no shortage of key moments for the Czech teen.

But Mensik is enjoying the ride and it is showing in his performance. The fourth-placed player in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah can hit a high if he defeats Tristan Schoolkate Thursday to reach the third round of the US Open for the second consecutive year. These are the opportunities the teen lives for.

“I’ve loved tennis from a young age. So that was my dream, always, to play in these big tournaments. And if I win, I win. If I lose, I lose, it doesn't matter. Without losses, there are no victories, and that's my motto,” Mensik said. “I know that after every loss, I have to keep working, keep staying focused, because at the end of the tournament, there can only be one winner, so that's it. I realised that, and that's why I'm trying to show my best performance. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's not, but that's how it works.”

Mensik is still new on the ATP Tour. One year ago, he was No. 206 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Now, he is No. 65. But a lot has happened in 12 months.

The Czech reached an ATP Challenger Tour final to begin his 2024 season and then qualified for the Australian Open, where he reached the second round of the main draw. In February, the teen advanced to his first ATP Tour final in Doha.

Carlos Alcaraz gave full credit to his opponent, Botic van de Zandschulp, on Thursday evening after the Dutchman stunned the four-time major champion in the second round of the US Open. But the third seed also pointed the finger at himself.

“It was a fight against myself, in my mind, during the match,” Alcaraz said. “In tennis you are playing against someone that wants the same as you, to win the match, and you have to be as calm as you can just to think better in the match and try to do good things.”

The 21-year-old explained there were emotions he was unable to control against van de Zandschulp, who converted six of his nine break points in the match.

“I was up in some points. Then I lost some points, I got down. It was a roller coaster, let's say, in my mind,” Alcaraz said. “So I can't be like that if I want to think about big things, so I have to improve it. I have to learn about it.”

STATEMENT MADE ?@Boticvdz stuns Alcaraz to advance in the Big Apple ?@usopen | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p17tGKtg0s

Alexei Popyrin was watching Broadway show Hamilton in Manhattan last week when he stepped away from his seat during intermission.

“I went to the toilet, but there was this huge line, and this one guy came up to me and said, ‘Hey, well done in Montreal’,” Popyrin, who will face Novak Djokovic Friday in the third round of the US Open, told ATPTour.com. “[It was] in the middle of a huge crowd, so it was quite cool.”

The fan was congratulating the Australian on his recent breakthrough at the Omnium Banque Nationale présenté par Rogers, where he won his first ATP Masters 1000 title. Previously, the 25-year-old had made just one quarter-final at the level. He has lately been stopped by fans a couple of times per day on the street.

“I think not as much as obviously [Carlos] Alcaraz and all the top guys, but I get stopped once or twice a day, three times a day sometimes. But every day I get recognised at least once or twice when I'm walking on the streets,” Popyrin said. “Off the court, I'm a relaxed guy. I like to just go about my business and not speak out or speak out of turn or anything like that. I think anybody likes attention when they get it.

“I have enjoyed the extra attention after Montreal. But honestly, it's not what I play for. It's not what I like. It's not my focus at the end of the day. For me, it's just to play out there, be the centre of attention on the court and then off the court I am who I am.”

Botic van de Zandschulp scored one of the biggest upsets in recent memory Thursday when he stunned 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 in the US Open second round, spoiling the Spaniard’s hopes of a third consecutive major title.

The World No. 74 in the PIF ATP Rankings struck the ball with conviction and looked for early opportunities to move forward and disrupt the Spaniard’s usual baseline rhythm. By defeating the World No. 3, the Dutchman earned the highest-ranked win of his career.

"I'm a little bit lost for words. It's been an incredible evening, the first night session for me on Arthur Ashe. The crowd was amazing," van de Zandschulp said.

"I got a lot of confidence from my last match [against Denis Shapovalov]. I played really solid and from point one tonight, I believed I could have a chance and you see how it sometimes turns out."

Alcaraz suffered his first loss in the second round of a major since 2021 at Wimbledon, where the then-World No. 75 fell to second seed Daniil Medvedev. The 15-time tour-level titlist committed 27 unforced errors, 12 of which came on his forehand, several missing by a great distance.

Gabriel Diallo’s smile was telling Thursday evening in New York.

The 22-year-old Canadian qualifier’s happiness showed after he upset 24th seed Arthur Fils 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round of the US Open. The 6'8" Diallo began the week without a major main draw win to his name. Now he owns two.

“Obviously super happy, especially the way that I’ve been playing throughout the summer,” Diallo said. “I’ve been able to put up some good matches and continuously bring a very good level and giving myself some chances to win. Now it’s time to recover, try to analyse the match and get ready for Saturday.”

The former University of Kentucky standout explained that a big moment for him came in July at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Chicago, where he lifted the trophy. Diallo did not lose a set all week en route to his third Challenger trophy.

“Especially the way I won it. I didn’t get broken the whole week,” Diallo said. “I faced only maybe five break points throughout the whole tournament and it wasn’t like I was banging 25 aces a match. I was playing really well behind my serve, so I think that gave me the confidence to know that even if I’m not serving great, I can still get myself some good chances to win.”

Daniil Medvedev advanced to the US Open third round for the seventh consecutive year Thursday when he raced past Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(5).

Chasing a second major trophy this fortnight, the 2021 champion was dialled in from the first ball. He resembled a brick wall from the baseline and struck the ball with depth from every corner of the court. Medvedev looked to pick on the Hungarian’s backhand and when Marozsan opened his racquet head to slice, the 28-year-old went into attack mode.

“The match today, I felt like an Italian restaurant. The food is great, the aftertaste is great but your head is like — so noisy,” Medvedev assessed in his on-court interview. “All the match I was like, ‘Try to focus! Try to focus!’ It was a fun feeling.

“I managed to stay really solid, some great moments, and I’m really happy to be through to the next round.”

The opening set featured six breaks of serve, including three consecutive breaks to start the match. Medvedev stuck to his trademark deep return position, which Marozsan countered with drop shots. But the fifth seed’s quick speed allowed him to cover any dropper. When Marozsan came to net, Medvedev ripped passing shots by the 24-year-old or forced him to hit volleys at his feet.

After recovering from a mid-year injury blow, Alex de Minaur has not taken long to get back to business at the US Open.

The No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings eased past qualifier Otto Virtanen 7-5, 6-1, 7-6(3) on Thursday afternoon to book his third-round spot at the hard-court major. Renowned as one of the fiercest competitors on the ATP Tour, De Minaur has now dropped just one set across his two matches so far in New York, where he returned to action after missing seven weeks due to a hip injury.

“I’m very happy [about the win], and obviously happy to be back on court playing in front of you guys,” said De Minaur in his on-court interview. “It’s always a great atmosphere in New York. I’m happy to keep going. Every day I’m getting a little bit better and I’m looking forward to what’s to come."

A classic @alexdeminaur point:@usopen | #USOpen
pic.twitter.com/elbGoC47lL

Despite not having competed since Wimbledon, De Minaur has seamlessly resumed a standout year in New York. The 25-year-old Australian is now 38-12 for the season, and he will hope to continue his impressive comeback in his next match against Mariano Navone or Daniel Evans.

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden arrived at the US Open in a slump, having lost their previous three matches dating back to Wimbledon.

However, the Indian-Australian team found the winning formula once again in New York on Thursday to end any emerging concerns. Bopanna and Ebden cruised past Dutchmen Sander Arends and Robin Haase 6-3, 7-5 to reach the second round after 64 minutes.

The second seeds enjoyed a standout start to the season together, winning the Australian Open title and the crown in Miami. They have faltered slightly since, with their best run a semi-final showing at Roland Garros.

Last year’s finalists at the fourth major of the season seek a return to top form to help them further boost their Nitto ATP Finals hopes. They are currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings and will hope to join already-qualified teams Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic and Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.

Top seeds Granollers and Zeballos moved past Francisco Cerundolo and Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-4, 6-2, booking their spot at the Nitto ATP Finals with victory. The Spanish-Argentine team has won ATP Masters 1000 titles together in Rome and Montreal this year.

Tomas Martin Etcheverry is all too familiar with the feeling of nausea; he has had more than his fair share of it. But when he started to feel nauseous at his latest US Open match, he was scared. “What’s going on?” he thought, when the dizziness hit.

The sudden attack did not look good. The Argentine was vomiting near the towel area on Court No. 12. But it did not prevent him from booking a place in the third round of the US Open, where he will face fourth seed Alexander Zverev on Friday.

Feeling out of whack yet still securing victory is nothing new for the 25-year-old. Just four months ago, Etcheverry was facing Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan in Houston, where 'Tomy' vomited before serving out the match. “It’s normal now,” he said with a smile after Wednesday’s incident against his countryman Francisco Cerundolo. “This has happened to me loads of times”.

There are various reasons for this clash between body and mind. On Wednesday, dehydration was the root cause. The fear that he would be affected by the temperature at the time — nearly 40-degrees celsius — was significant. “I should have taken on more salts and fluids, but I didn’t. That’s why I ended up vomiting. My body couldn’t take it,” explained the No. 33 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Nerves have also had played its part in Etcheverry's internal battles. Before the age of 17, competing on the tennis court plagued Etcheverry with stress and it would frequently make him vomit before or during every match. The La Plata native alleviated the problem, first with better nutrition, then by resting longer and finally, he began working with a psychologist. But the issue has not been completely eliminated.

Jannik Sinner captured his 50th win of the season and a Tour-leading 30th victory on hard courts Thursday at the US Open, where he brushed past #NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.

The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has enjoyed a standout 2024, winning five titles including his first major at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old Italian hit freely and forced errors from Michelsen with his weight and depth of shot to earn his second victory this month against the 20-year-old.

Sinner, who beat Michelsen in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting en route to the title in Cincinnati, is into the third round at the US Open for the fourth consecutive year and will next meet Christopher O’Connell.

"I am very happy to get through, he is a very tough opponent," Sinner said. "We had a match in Cincinnati one week ago, so I knew a little what to expect."

Pure SINNER-MA ?

World No. 1 @janniksin notches his 50th win of the season with a scintillating 6-4 6-0 6-2 demolition job over Michelsen! @usopen | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/kEEpyCCSs4

Tommy Paul and Jessica Pegula are not only united by the fact that they are both members of the tennis elite — Paul is the No. 14 in the PIF ATP Rankings and Pegula is the WTA’s World No. 6.

The two Americans also have similar visions about how to prepare their bodies for competition. That is one reason they share the same physio, the Argentinian Sebastian Cozzarin.

Cozzarin, born in Buenos Aires in 1984, has had a significant role to play in the current rich vein of form being enjoyed by the two players. “They are still human. Because they are tennis players, it’s very likely they’ll have injuries because they push their bodies to the limit and generate over 100% stress, but our job is to prevent and to try and ensure the injury happens as late and is as mild as possible,” Cozzarin told ATPTour.com at the US Open.

Before warming up for a match or a practice session, Paul and Pegula religiously undergo a session with Cozzarin, who gives them preventative exercises aimed at areas such as the ankles, the spine, the shoulders, wrists and neck. In both cases, they pay more attention to areas with a history of injury, such as both players’ hips. Once off the bed, they continue to exercise the same parts, but on the floor, before finally stretching.

The routine lasts almost an hour. Cozzarin also springs into action at the end of each player’s day with another treatment session on the bed, and the odd extra treatment in a particular area that may have been overloaded. But the Argentine’s work does not stop there.

Tennis presents its own set of challenges with difficult shots that can test a player's skill, strategy, and mental fortitude. Here's how to handle some of the toughest tennis shots: 1. The Passing ShotChallenge: The passing shot is crucial when your opponent approaches the net, requiring precision to hit the ball past them.Technique:Setup: Positio...

Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic became the first doubles team to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals on Wednesday. The season finale will be played at Inalpi Arena in Turin from 10-17 November.

The Salvadoran and Croatian are enjoying a standout year in their first season as a team. They clinched their qualification when they advanced to the second round of the US Open.

Arevalo and Pavic have won four titles this year, highlighted by their run to the Roland Garros trophy. They also triumphed in Hong Kong, Geneva and Cincinnati.

They have proven a force on all surfaces, earning two of their crowns on hard court, two on clay and reaching the quarter-finals on grass at Wimbledon.

Arevalo and Pavic also advanced to the final at Rome, one of their two ATP Masters 1000 finals of 2024 (Cincinnati title).

It was fifth time lucky for Li Tu on Tuesday night in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Facing Carlos Alcaraz, the Australian had let slip four set points that would have levelled his first-round US Open clash against the Spaniard after two sets. However, at the fifth time of asking, Tu made no such mistake and he lifted his hand to his ear as the arena exploded, celebrating the fact that they were witnessing an intense battle, which was now tied thanks to the heroics of the No. 186 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“It’s something I’ve often said I have to improve on; ‘disconnections’,” Alcaraz reflected later. “I went out for the match really focused and up for it, knowing what I had to do at all times. Of course, his game helped everything go smoothly because he made a lot of errors, I think he was a little nervous. Then, in the second set, he upped his level and I made a lot of unnecessary mistakes. I’ve seen the stats... I went from two in the first set to 18 in the second. That’s a big change and that’s why the set got away from me.

“These are things I have to improve, avoiding those kinds of disconnections. I can’t allow myself to make so many errors without knowing why. In general, I’m happy with my level and the way I hit the ball and moved. I felt good, apart from those small things I have to improve on.”

In any case, the win has allowed Alcaraz to break a new barrier; he now has 60 major wins under his belt. Only John McEnroe, by one match, required fewer encounters to reach the mark.

Serbian Novak Djokovic advanced to the US Open third round Wednesday when his countryman Laslo Djere retired early in the third set. The second seed led 6-4, 6-4, 2-0 before the retirement under the roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“It’s not what we want. It’s not what the crowd wants, to see a walkover,” Djokovic said. “But he obviously had an injury that took him out of the Tour for some time and he is struggling to come back physically to this level. He’s such a good player, especially in these conditions. It should’ve been his second set, honestly. It was 4-2, 15/40.

“Overall, it was a big fight. Over two hours for two sets. I served awful. So playing without the serve, you have to grind, you have to run. So I guess I had to rely on my baseline game.”

Djere held two break points at 4-2 in the second set that would have allowed him to serve for the set had he converted. The 29-year-old did not win another game. He called a medical timeout before serving at 4-5 and received treatment in the abdominal area.

Djokovic made just 47 per cent of his first serves, the same percentage he recorded in the first round against Radu Albot. After sealing the opening set by breaking Djere to love at 5-4, Djokovic called the physio and took a tablet, though he did not call a medical timeout. Both players were visibly gasping for air at times following lengthy rallies in the humid conditions.

Taylor Fritz produced a dominant performance Wednesday at the US Open, where the 12th seed downed 2019 semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 7-6(1), 6-1 to reach the third round.

The American No. 1 earned an early break against the 6’5” Italian and rarely looked back. Fritz raced through his service games and dropped just four points behind his hefty first delivery — and as many behind his second serve.

Fritz played tight to the baseline on return, countering the usual monstrous serving of Berrettini with early, compact cuts at the ball. Across two hours and nine minutes, Fritz committed 18 unforced errors.

"I came in really focused. I felt like I was just locked in every point, something I was kind of upset with myself about my first-round match," Fritz said. "I was just ready to go. Matteo is an extremely good player, a super tough second round. So I came in extra locked in."

Following his second-round victory, Fritz became the fourth man to record 40 match wins this season behind Alexander Zverev (54), Jannik Sinner (49) and Casper Ruud (46). Carlos Alcaraz will join that group with a win Thursday. The California native Fritz remained perfect against Berrettini, improving to 4-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Three years ago, Botic van de Zandschulp faced Carlos Alcaraz for the first time in the first round of the Australian Open. Both players were qualifiers, new on the scene, and their clash was on an outer court at Melbourne Park. Van de Zandschulp was No. 151 in the PIF ATP Rankings and Alcaraz, then 17, was not much higher at No. 141.

“What I was most impressed about was how he started. He was fully pumped, aggressive in a good way. That took me a little bit off actually, I had never played him,” van de Zandschulp told ATPTour.com. “Of course I’d seen him play and you hear all the talk about him. But that’s what I was most impressed about: the ferocity he was playing with, how he was hitting, the power he had. That was insane.”

Alcaraz won the match 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 and they will meet again at a major on Thursday in the second round of the US Open. This time, the Spaniard will walk on court a four-time Grand Slam champion.

“It’s always nice to compare yourself to players like Alcaraz, Djokovic, Sinner. I played Sinner for example twice this year. First time, it’s nice. Second time in the first round, you think, ‘Man, maybe a little better later in the tournament?’” van de Zandschulp said. “But it’s always interesting to play these guys because I think after the match, you always know where you have to get better — which kind of situations, what kind of shots. I think you can learn a lot from those matches.”

Watch Alcaraz-van de Zandschulp 2022 Basel Highlights:

Lorenzo Musetti reversed his fortunes in a flash Wednesday at the US Open.

After facing two match points at 4-5 in the fifth set of his match against Miomir Kecmanovic, the Italian rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 victory and with it a place in the third round at Flushing Meadows.

Musetti has found the form of his career, reaching his first major semi-final at Wimbledon and claiming the bronze medal in men’s singles at the Paris Olympics. But the 18th seed flirted with an early exit in New York.

Kecmanovic held two match points on return but was never able to gain control of the point on either occasion. Musetti finished the match with 51 winners and he converted six of his 13 break points.

The 22-year-old will next take on Brandon Nakashima in a battle of Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF alumni. The American defeated Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

Ben Shelton made it six sets played, six sets won at this year’s US Open on Wednesday when he dispatched Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round.

The 21-year-old American earned a breakthrough run in New York last year when he became the youngest American man to reach the semis at the hard-court major since Michael Chang in 1992.

After defeating former champion Dominic Thiem in the first round, Shelton laid down an impressive marker against Bautista Agut to underline his hopes of another deep run on home soil. The No. 13 player in the PIF ATP Rankings struck 59 winners, including 17 aces to triumph after two hours and 10 minutes. He saved both break points he faced and let out a roar after sealing victory in front of a lively crowd on Grandstand.

"I thought I moved extremely well," Shelton said. "I served well and hit my forehand well and didn't get broken today and was clutch at the big moments when I needed to be. I am happy with where my game is at."

Shelton will next play countryman Frances Tiafoe. The 13th seed overcame Tiafoe in the quarter-finals last year to reach his first major semi-final at the US Open.

Last year Alex Michelsen sat in Learner Tien’s players’ box when his fellow #NextGenATP American played Frances Tiafoe in the first round of the US Open inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was a memorable experience for the Californian.

“The court is absolutely sick, probably the best court in the world,” Michelsen told ATPTour.com. “There is no tennis stadium that's bigger. I was just kind of looking up and looking at all those people. I was like, ‘Wow, that's pretty cool’. Obviously, in the back of my head, I was like, ‘I want to play here’.”

The 20-year-old will get his wish Thursday afternoon. Michelsen will face Jannik Sinner, the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, in the second round at Flushing Meadows inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

It will be a rematch of the pair’s recent Lexus ATP Head2Head showdown at the Cincinnati Open, where Sinner triumphed 6-4, 7-5 and eventually lifted the trophy.

“It was good. I feel like I had a lot of chances. I had eight break points I didn't get. And I feel like… that would be a little bit of a confidence booster for me, knowing that I had all these opportunities, and we're just going to see how it goes,” Michelsen said. “I'm going to go out there and I'm going to compete my hardest.