Carlos Alcaraz continued his remarkable run at the US Open, cruising past American Tommy Paul in straight sets to secure a spot in the quarterfinals and move one step closer to adding another historic chapter to his young career. The 23‑year‑old Spaniard showed no trace of the wrist injury that had forced him out of competition for more than four months earlier this year, dominating Paul 6‑4, 6‑3, 6‑4 in a match that lasted just over two hours.
This victory marks Alcaraz’s sixth consecutive win over the 29‑year‑old Paul and extends his run to 14 straight sets against the American, underscoring the growing gulf between the two players. Alcaraz entered the tournament already holding the distinction of being the youngest male player ever to achieve a career Grand Slam. Should he capture the title on Sunday, he would become the first man in the Open Era to defend major titles on all three surfaces—grass, clay and hard courts—by winning back‑to‑back crowns at Flushing Meadows. He has already triumphed on Wimbledon’s grass in 2023 and 2024 and on the French Open’s clay in 2024 and the previous year, leaving the hard‑court crown as the final piece of a potential "Surface Grand Slam." Paul, seeded 20th, entered the match with confidence, saying before the encounter that he always believes he can beat the top players.
However, Alcaraz’s relentless aggression and precise shot‑making proved too much. The Spaniard faced two set points at the end of the third set but repelled them with two emphatic forehand winners, sealing the win in 2 hours and 21 minutes.
After the match, Alcaraz explained his approach: "I played my game. I tried to impose my style from the start. Tommy is a very talented opponent with dangerous shots, so I stayed ready for every rally and was willing to run when needed.
I kept the pressure on his return game and tried to be aggressive throughout, never allowing him to settle. Staying relaxed and thinking clearly helped a lot.
I'm really happy with my performance today. Am I back to full power?
I think so. I always try to enjoy my tennis, and the four‑and‑a‑half months out of the game haven’t changed that. Every time I step onto these courts I give my best." Commentators were full of praise. Tim Henman of Sky Sports Tennis noted, "Watching Alcaraz shift into higher gears has been a joy.
He’s improved with each round, and today his forehand was simply phenomenal—perhaps the best I’ve seen in my career, hitting with such power and precision that it never seemed like a shot that could miss." Martina Navratilova, also speaking for Sky Sports, added, "It’s astonishing how quickly Carlos has reached this level. Players with his range of weapons usually take years to master the game, but he operates 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, held in the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, was a roller‑coaster that featured 11 service breaks across 19 games, reflecting the high‑stakes tension of a quarterfinal encounter.
Sabalenka, who has spent 99 weeks at the summit of the WTA rankings, now faces the challenge of winning a third consecutive Flushing Meadows crown. To reach the coveted 100‑week milestone at No. 1, she will also need current No. 2 Elena Rybakina to be eliminated before the semifinals.
Reflecting on her victory, Sabalenka said, "It’s incredibly demanding, but the key is to stay focused on yourself. After dropping the second set I had to reset, remind myself to stay aggressive on the return and keep the pressure on. I tried to stay present, point by point, ball by ball.
Turning the second set around was crucial, and I’m pleased I could do that." In the women’s quarterfinals, Sabalenka will meet Czech Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, who earned her spot after a hard‑fought three‑set win over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk (7‑5, 5‑7, 6‑4). Kostyuk displayed remarkable resilience, saving five match points—two in the second set and three in the decider—before ultimately succumbing to Noskova. Navratilova praised Sabalenka’s performance, stating, "She was solid overall.
Townsend had more winners, but Aryna’s returning and passing shots were exceptional. When Townsend tried to finish at the net she wasn’t successful, which highlighted Sabalenka’s baseline dominance.
I’d give her a ‘B’—she lost a lot of serve but delivered when it mattered most." Former British player Annabel Croft added, "Sabalenka brought fierce intensity to the court. When she fell behind in the second set, she rallied with a roar that showed she meant business. Her passion, aura, and mental toughness make her a great entertainer as well as a top athlete. She’s taken some hits but looks far from vulnerable, hasn’t dropped a set yet, and appears in excellent shape." The men’s draw also saw a historic moment when American Ben Shelton’s run to the quarterfinals ended a 149‑year streak of at least one player with a one‑handed backhand reaching the semifinals of a Grand Slam.
Shelton’s victories over left‑handed Denis Shapovalov and then Stefanos Tsitsipas—who lamented the decline of the classic stroke—marked the end of an era that began with Wimbledon in 1877. Tsitsipas, after his 6‑2, 6‑3, 6‑4 defeat, remarked, "In the 1950s, about 97‑98 % of players used a one‑handed backhand. Today it’s down to two or three percent." American Frances Tiafoe also advanced, dispatching 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev 7‑6 (7‑1), 6‑4, 7‑6 (7‑6) to secure his place in the quarterfinals.
He will face fellow American Alex Michelsen, who earned his spot by beating 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 will be shown live from the O2 in London later in September.