Carlos Alcaraz saved a match point in the fourth set before digging deep in the decider to beat Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller and reach the US Open semifinals in the early hours of Thursday in New York.

The Spanish teenager collapsed on his back after the match lasting more than five hours concluded at 2.50am local time, beating the previous record for the latest finish of 2.26am set in three matches in 1993, 2012 and 2014.

The 6-3 6-7(7) 6-7(0) 7-5 6-3 win keeps alive Alcaraz’s hopes of winning a maiden Grand Slam title and claiming the world No 1 ranking.

“Honestly I still don’t know how I did it,” Alcaraz said in an on-court interview. “The level that I played, the level of the match, the high quality of tennis. It’s unbelievable.”

Carlos Alcaraz reacts after defeating Jannik Sinner in a five-hour quarterfinal thriller. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Jason Szenes)

Alcaraz put his finger to his ear in the fifth set after he raced across court to catch up with a Sinner drop-shot and fired it past the Italian to set up break point, bringing fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium to their feet.

Alcaraz converted on the next point when Sinner’s shot hit the net for a 5-3 lead and then fired a serve into Sinner’s body on match point to end the five-hour, 15-minute contest.

“Thank you to all of you,” he said to the crowd.

Alcaraz was a human highlight reel all night, sliding and diving around the court and hitting a sensational behind-the-back circus shot that set up a forehand winner in the second set.

If the match was a preview of the future of men’s tennis, the sport is in good hands, with the 21-year-old Sinner and 19-year-old Alcaraz engaging in one thrilling exchange after another to the delight of the fans.

Carlos Alcaraz collapses after defeating Jannik Sinner. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Jason Szenes)

“Incredible battle @janniksin!” Alcaraz tweeted after the match. “You really forced me to improve, and I’m sure we’ll have many more matches in the future!”

What can I say? 🤯 US OPEN SEMIFINALS! Incredible battle @janniksin! You really forced me to improve, and I’m sure we’ll have many more matches in the future! 🤝🏻 @usopen

📸 Getty Images pic.twitter.com/EeR1rzSDkA

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) September 8, 2022

Sinner struggled to sum up the disappointment.

“It’s not easy to talk now because I finished the match,” he told reporters. “It was a good match from my side, from his side… the level was high. But very, very tough.”

Alcaraz plays American Frances Tiafoe on Friday for a spot in Sunday’s final while Denmark’s Casper Ruud takes on Russian Karen Khachanov for a place in the final.

‘We all earned it,’ Świątek says of final four

A first-time US Open women’s champion will be crowned on Saturday and world No 1 Iga Świątek said all four semifinalists deserve to be there.

Top seed Świątek will meet Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka, while in-form Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia battles tough Tunisian Ons Jabeur on Thursday, with trips to the final on the line.

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“It feels like we all earned it,” Świątek said after her straight-sets quarterfinal win over American Jessica Pegula.

“Sometimes the semifinals players are all a surprise. Right now we’re pretty solid. So I’m happy about that.”

No one is surprised to see the 21-year-old Świątek in the mix. The Pole went on a blistering 37-match winning streak earlier this year before cooling off ahead of the New York Grand Slam.

Despite struggling in the earlier rounds, she raised her game late on Wednesday, whipping forehands and playing excellent defence to see off Pegula.

Read in Daily Maverick: “Ons Jabeur overcomes wobble to set up Caroline Garcia semifinal showdown”

Standing in Świątek’s way is sixth seed Sabalenka, who showed her mettle by storming back from a set and 5-1 down against Kaia Kanepi in the second round, saving two match points along the way.

“She’s a tough opponent, but I’ll do my best to make her work as much as I can,” Sabalenka said of Świątek, who holds a 3-1 lead in their head-to-head meetings.

Garcia, seeded 12th, is enjoying a career renaissance and playing with confidence bordering on swagger after cruising to the semis without dropping a set.

Carlos Alcaraz during the fifth set of his marathon quarterfinal against Jannik Sinner. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Jason Szenes)

Since coming back from a foot injury in May, the 28-year-old has won three events on three different surfaces – on clay in Warsaw, on grass in Bad Homburg, and on the hardcourts at the Cincinnati Open.

Jabeur got the better of Garcia several times during their junior days, something the Frenchwoman wants to put right.

Read in Daily Maverick: “Frances Tiafoe ‘no dark horse anymore’ after stunning Nadal at US Open”

“A few times she stopped me on my way to get a Slam in juniors,” Garcia said after beating Coco Gauff in the quarters.

“It’s fun to see her again in semifinal in US Open. It’s a great challenge for my game, for me. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Jabeur said she expects a tough battle.

“I’m happy for her that she’s back where she belongs,” she added. “Whoever is going to be able to impose her game is going to be in better form. So I will try to play my game. I will try to be me.” Reuters/DM