Carlos Alcaraz continued his meteoric rise at the US Open, cruising past American contender Tommy Paul in straight sets to secure a place in the quarter‑finals. The 23‑year‑old Spaniard, who has been recovering from a wrist injury that kept him out of competition for more than four months, showed no lingering physical limitations. He dismantled Paul 6‑4, 6‑3, 6‑4, marking his sixth consecutive victory over the 29‑year‑old and extending his run to 14 straight sets won against him. Although Alcaraz faced two set points at the very end of the third set, he brushed them aside with two emphatic forehand winners, sealing the match in two hours and twenty‑one minutes.
Alcaraz’s performance underlines his historic trajectory. He is already the youngest male player ever to achieve a career Grand Slam, having captured titles on grass at Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024 and on the clay of Roland Garros in 2023 and 2024. A win in New York this Sunday would give him a career Grand Slam on hard courts as well, completing a rare set of titles on all three major surfaces. Moreover, defending his US Open crown would make him the first man in the Open Era to successfully retain majors on each of the three surfaces—a testament to his versatility and dominance across different playing conditions.
After the match, Alcaraz reflected on his approach: "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 was willing to run when needed.
I kept the pressure on his return game, stayed aggressive, and tried not to give him any time to settle. Staying relaxed, calm, and thinking clearly helped a lot. I'm very happy with my performance today.
Am I back to full power? I think so.
Every time I come here I play my best, and I just try to enjoy it. The four‑and‑a‑half months out of the game didn't change my mindset; I still give my all every time I step onto these courts." Commentators were quick to praise his display. Tim Henman of Sky Sports noted, "Watching Alcaraz shift into higher gears has been a pleasure. He keeps improving as the tournament progresses.
Paul gave it his all, but Alcaraz was simply a class above. His forehand was firing—perhaps the best I've seen in years—delivering power without any hint of error." Former champion Martina Navratilova added, "It's astonishing how quickly he's reached this level. Players with such a broad arsenal usually need years to master it, yet Carlos operates in a different stratosphere already." On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka defended her US Open title and retained the world No.1 ranking after a gritty victory over American Taylor Townsend.
The Belarusian endured a turbulent match that featured eleven service breaks across nineteen games, ultimately prevailing 6‑4, 6‑3 on the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium. Sabalenka, who has spent 99 weeks atop the rankings, now faces the daunting task of capturing a third consecutive Flushing Meadows crown. To reach the coveted 100‑week milestone at No.1, she must also hope that current No.2 Elena Rybakina exits the tournament before the semifinals.
Sabalenka described her mindset during the encounter: "It was extremely challenging, but I kept focusing on myself. When I fell behind in the second set, I reminded 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 the turning point for me." In the quarter‑finals, Sabalenka is slated to meet Czech Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, who survived a marathon battle against fellow Czech Marta Kostyuk. Kostyova saved five match points—two at the close of the second set and three in the decisive third—before Noskova finally edged her 7‑5, 5‑7, 6‑4. Navratilova praised Sabalenka’s resilience, saying, "She was solid overall. Townsend had more winners, but Aryna’s return game and passing shots were superb.
She struggled with her serve at times, but when it mattered she delivered. I'd give her a solid B for the match." Annabel Croft added, "Sabalenka brought ferocious intensity. When she fell a break down in the second set, she rallied with a huge burst of energy, letting out a roar that showed she meant business. Her passion, aura, and mental toughness make her a true showwoman—tennis is entertainment as well as sport, and she understands that perfectly.
She’s taken a few knocks but hasn’t looked vulnerable, and she’s still in great shape, having not dropped a set so far." The men's draw saw another storyline emerge as Ben Shelton’s run to the quarter‑finals ended a 149‑year streak of one‑handed backhand players reaching at least the semifinals of a Grand Slam. Shelton’s upset over Stefanos Tsitsipas, a match that concluded 6‑2, 6‑3, 6‑4, removed the last remaining one‑handed backhand specialist from the tournament. Historically, the one‑handed backhand dominated the game; Tsitsipas noted after his defeat, "In the 1950s, about 97‑98% of players used a one‑handed backhand.
Today it’s down to two or three percent." Shelton also eliminated left‑handed one‑handed backhander Denis Shapovalov in the third round, further cementing the shift toward two‑handed strokes in modern power tennis. The decline of the classic one‑handed technique underscores the sport’s evolution toward greater baseline power and consistency.
American Frances Tiafoe added to the excitement by dispatching 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev 7‑6(7‑1), 6‑4, 7‑6(7‑6) to book his own quarter‑final berth. He will face compatriot Alex Michelsen, who earlier in the day overcame Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7‑6(8‑6), 6‑4, 6‑4. The tournament continues to showcase a blend of seasoned champions and rising stars, promising high‑quality tennis as the competition moves toward the semifinals. The US Open remains broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available via NOW and the Sky Sports app, and the Laver Cup set to be shown live from The O2 in London later in September.