Carlos Alcaraz preparing for US Open semi by playing golf with Sergio Garcia

Tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz is relishing the chance to improve his golfing skills as he looked forward to a showdown against Sergio Garcia during the US Open at Flushing Meadows.

Garcia was in the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday to watch his Spanish compatriot cruise into the semi-finals with a straight-sets victory over Jiri Lehecka, setting up a mouth-watering clash with Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz has marked each of his victories in New York with a celebratory golf swing, starting the trend with Rory McIlroy watching on for his first-round win last week.

The world No 2, who won the first of his five Grand Slam singles titles at the US Open in 2022, delighted Garcia with his smooth swing before revealing in his post-match interview that he was looking forward to learning from the former Masters champion on the golf course.

Garcia was scheduled to play in this week’s Amgen Irish Open at the K Club, but he decided to stay in the US and, in an exclusive interview with GolfMagic, he admitted that missing out on Europe’s Ryder Cup team was “mentally tough” to take.

But the 45-year-old looked in good spirits as he cheered on Alcaraz, who will prepare for his semi-final against Djokovic with a round of golf alongside his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and Garcia.

He said: “It’s something that is working well so why should I change that routine? Every day off I try to go and play some golf.

“I have a really difficult round against Juanki (Ferrero) and Sergio Garcia is there. It’ll be a really difficult one but I will play for sure. Sergio has to give me at least between 10 and 15 shots. I think it’s going to be great. I’m not that good, Sergio, come on!”

Alcaraz’s passion for golf is well known, and he enjoyed several rounds with Andy Murray during his Wimbledon campaign this summer, which ended in an unfortunate four-set defeat to his arch-rival, world No 1 Jannick Sinner.

“I started to play at the beginning of 2020. I just love playing,” added Alcaraz. “I used to go to hit some balls in the driving range when I was really, really young.

“I liked it, but since 2020, I just started to play more, to go on the course, to play some holes. I just fell in love with golf and started to play more and more.

“I saw myself improving, so it engaged me even more to the golf, and it has me. I just feel really peaceful when I go out and play some golf on the golf course.

“Tomorrow Sergio is here, so we are going to play some golf. I will try to learn from them. My handicap right now is 14. It's getting down, but it takes time. I mean, for me it's a privilege to have time to play some golf, to be honest.”