Carlos Alcaraz continued his meteoric rise at the US Open by cruising into the quarter‑finals, further cementing his place in tennis history. The 23‑year‑old Spaniard, who has not shown any lingering effects from the wrist injury that forced him out of competition for more than four months earlier in the year, dismantled American contender Tommy Paul in straight sets.
Alcaraz’s dominant 6‑4, 6‑3, 6‑4 victory not only extended his unbeaten run against Paul to six consecutive matches, but also marked his 14th straight set win in their head‑to‑head clashes. Alcaraz entered the tournament already holding the distinction of being the youngest male player ever to achieve a career Grand Slam. If he can capture a second consecutive title at Flushing Meadows, he will join an exclusive club as the only Open‑Era male to successfully defend major titles on all three surfaces—grass, clay and hard courts. He already boasts Wimbledon crowns from 2023 and 2024 and a French Open triumph in 2024, leaving the hard‑court crown as the final piece of the puzzle.
A win on Sunday would therefore complete a rare surface sweep that few players have ever imagined. Paul, seeded 20th, entered the match with confidence, declaring before the contest that he always believes he can beat the top‑ranked players.
However, Alcaraj’s relentless aggression and impeccable timing proved too much. After a solid first set, Alcaraz kept the pressure on Paul’s serve, breaking at crucial moments and never allowing the American to settle into a rhythm. Although Alcaraz faced two set points at the end of the third set, he brushed them aside with two emphatic forehand winners, sealing the match in just two hours and 21 minutes. Reflecting on his performance, Alcaraz said, "I played my game.
I tried to impose my style from the start. Tommy is a talented player with dangerous shots, so I stayed ready for every rally and kept moving. I kept the aggression up and didn’t let him get comfortable on the court.
Putting pressure on his return game helped me stay relaxed, think clearly, and enjoy the moment. After being out for four and a half months, I feel back at full power and ready to give my best every time I step onto these courts." Former British great Tim Henman, commenting for Sky Sports Tennis, praised Alcaraz’s evolution: "It’s a joy to watch him shift gears. He’s getting better with each round. Tommy Paul gave everything he had, but Alcaraz was simply a class above.
His forehand is firing – I’ve seen many great forehands, but his may be the best I’ve witnessed, delivering power without any hint of error." Legendary former champion Martina Navratilova added, "It’s astonishing how quickly he has reached this level. Players with as many weapons as Alcaraz usually need years to fine‑tune their game, but he’s already operating in a different stratosphere." On the women’s side, Belarusian world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defended her US Open title and retained her top ranking after a gritty 6‑4, 6‑3 win over American Taylor Townsend. The match, played on the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, turned into a roller‑coaster with eleven service breaks across 19 games, highlighting both players’ willingness to go for broke.
Sabalenka, who has spent 99 weeks at the summit of the WTA rankings, knows that a third straight Flushing Meadows crown would bring her within striking distance of the 100‑week milestone, provided current No. 2 Elena Rybakina falters before the semifinals. Sabalenka described the challenge, saying, "It’s super demanding, but the key is to stay focused on yourself. In the second set I hit a low point, but I reminded myself to keep attacking the serve and apply pressure.
I tried to stay present, point by point, ball by ball. Turning the second set around was crucial, and I’m glad I could do that." Looking ahead, Sabalenka will meet Czech Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the quarter‑finals.
Noskova earned her spot after a grueling three‑set battle with Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, surviving five match points and prevailing 7‑5, 5‑7, 6‑4. Navratilova praised Sabalenka’s resilience, noting, "She was solid overall. Townsend hit more winners, but Aryna’s return game and passing shots were exceptional. Even though she lost serve several times, she delivered when it mattered most." Commentator Annabel Croft highlighted Sabalenka’s intensity: "She showed ferocious intensity, especially when she fell behind in the second set.
Her roar after regaining momentum showed she meant business. She brings passion, aura, and a show‑woman’s flair to every match, turning tennis into entertainment. She’s taken some hits but doesn’t look vulnerable, and she’s still unbeaten in sets this tournament." In the men’s draw, Ben Shelton’s surprising run to the quarter‑finals has sparked debate among tennis traditionalists.
Shelton’s victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas eliminated the last remaining one‑handed backhand specialist from the men’s singles, ending a 149‑year streak in which at least one player with a one‑handed backhand had reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam. The one‑handed backhand, once the norm in the 1950s, now appears in only a small fraction of the modern power‑driven game. Shelton also dispatched left‑handed one‑handed backhander Denis Shapovalov in the third round, further underscoring the shift toward two‑handed strokes.
After his defeat, Tsitsipas reflected, "In the 1950s, about 97‑98% of players used a one‑handed backhand. Today it’s down to two or three percent. The game has evolved dramatically." Another American, Frances Tiafoe, advanced by beating 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev in a tightly contested match, winning 7‑6(7‑1), 6‑4, 7‑6(7‑6).
Tiafoe will face fellow U.S. player Alex Michelsen, who secured his quarter‑final berth by overcoming Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7‑6(8‑6), 6‑4, 6‑4 earlier in the day. The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app, and the Laver Cup scheduled to be shown live from The O2 in London later in September.