Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz continued his impressive return to the court, securing a decisive straight-sets victory over Tommy Paul to reach the US Open quarter-finals. The second-seeded Spaniard triumphed 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, marking his fifth appearance in the final eight at Flushing Meadows, the site of his first Grand Slam title in 2022.
This performance comes after a four-month layoff due to a right wrist injury. The 23-year-old, who captured his seventh career Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January, admitted he felt some trepidation about returning to competition at the season’s final major. Following earlier victories against Roman Safiullin, Jaime Faria, and Wu Yibing, Alcaraz had expressed concerns regarding lingering rust, specifically citing forehand errors and questionable decision-making.
Against Paul, his first top-25 opponent of the tournament, Alcaraz appeared to find his rhythm. He controlled the match by firing 33 winners and frequently adjusting his return positioning to disrupt the American. After clinching a tight first set with a late break, Alcaraz maintained his momentum by breaking Paul twice in the second set and once more early in the third.
Reflecting on his progress, Alcaraz stated, “Really happy to see where my level is right now. Beating Tommy Paul is always great feedback to see where you are, and I’m just really happy about everything I’ve done today.” He noted that he felt his return game was strong and that he maintained good situational awareness throughout the match.
Paul, who has now lost seven of his nine encounters with the Spaniard, noted that Alcaraz remains a formidable opponent. “He’s still hitting his forehand hard and off the court,” Paul observed. “I feel like he’s maybe mixing things up on the return a little bit more.” Paul also mentioned that while Alcaraz’s first-serve speed appeared slightly lower than before his injury, the Spaniard successfully compensated with aggressive play on the following ball.
The match concluded with a display of composure from Alcaraz, who saved two break points in the final game. He secured the victory with a swinging forehand volley followed by a decisive forehand winner. Despite the win, Alcaraz remains self-critical, noting that his serve still requires improvement.
“I just had to be hard with myself, saying again the serves can be better,” Alcaraz said. “But I’m just happy, and I’m going to enjoy this moment, for sure.” The report also notes that and he dominated on Sunday, firing 33 winners from all points of the compass as he moved fluidly around the court, adjusting his return position to keep Paul off-balance, alcaraz has now won seven of nine meetings with the American.
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