By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, September 6, 2026
Picture credit score: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX
NEW YORK—Rockets rise subsequent to the New York Corridor of Science in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
Go away it to Carlos Alcaraz to show Arthur Ashe Stadium right into a launching pad.
Rocketing missiles down the road and touchdown drizzling droppers within the entrance court docket, Alcaraz shredded Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the present day, hovering into his fifth US Open quarterfinal. Alcaraz raised his US Open document to 28-3, his 93% profitable proportion is the very best in Open Period historical past.
“Properly, actually pleased to see the place my stage is correct now. You understand, beating Tommy Paul is all the time nice suggestions to see the place you’re, and simply actually pleased about the whole lot I’ve executed in the present day,” Alcaraz mentioned.
“You understand, I believe I returned fairly effectively. I noticed, you already know, very well the sport in the present day, what I needed to do in each second, utilizing the best issues, you already know, in each second.
“So I simply actually pleased. Hopefully, you already know, maintain it going. Yeah, I simply needed to be onerous with myself after which simply, you already know, saying once more, the serves will be higher, however simply pleased, and I’m going to get pleasure from
this second, for positive.”
Sidelined for four-and-a-half months as a result of a proper wrist harm he sustained on the Barcelona Open in April, Alcaraz has shaken off the rust in week one in all this US Open, confirmed flashes of stratospheric shot-making expertise and has excelled from all areas of the court docket.
Newlywed Paul is a talented all-court participant, who owns two profession wins over the Spaniard. In the present day, Alcaraz exceeded Paul in each part of the sport to put up his 18th consecutive Grand Slam win.
Reigning champion Alcaraz has superior to the final eight in 13 of his final 14 main appearances, bettering to 13-0 lifetime towards Individuals in Grand Slam play.
The youngest man to finish the profession Grand Slam goals to maintain flying excessive in a quarterfinal showdown towards both American Ben Shelton, a two-time Canadian Open champion, or two-time main finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. Alcaraz is a mixed 9-0 vs. vs. Shelton and Tsitsipas. The previous No. 1 is 3-0 vs. Shelton and 6-0 vs. Tsitsipas, together with an epic five-set win on the 2021 US Open that introduced Alcaraz as a significant risk.
“Properly, I imply, we’ve been seeing Tsitsipas enjoying very well these days, so I believe he’s recovering the arrogance,” Alcaraz mentioned. “You understand, he’s such a extremely harmful participant when he’s at his finest. You understand, nice forehand, nice motion. So it’s going to be sophisticated if I’m going to play towards him.
“Clearly the head-to-head looks like, you already know, I dominate each match after I performed towards him, nevertheless it’s by no means going to be straightforward after I’m enjoying towards him, so I’ve bought to be prepared.
“Whether it is Shelton, actually highly effective participant. I believe he use the group, the individuals behind him, particularly when he’s enjoying right here at residence. I’m enthusiastic about enjoying the quarterfinal, both whether it is towards one or different. So I’ve bought to be prepared. I’m going to observe it, and I’ll be prepared for that.”
The Arthur Ashe Stadium retractable roof, which was closed for Aryna Sabalenka’s fourth-round win over American Taylor Townsend, was open when Alcaraz and Paul strode on court docket shortly after 2 p.m. New York time.
The Twentieth-seeded Paul, enjoying for his first High 10 in in a Slam, stayed in step for eight video games.
Then Alcaraz elevated to intervals of transcendent tennis taking 4 video games in a row.
The second-seeded Spaniard scalded a scorching forehand to power an errant forehand reply, breaking to take the opening set.
General, Alcaraz dominated a number of key forehand to forehand exchanges.
Alcaraz blasted 33 winners—15 greater than Paul—and was extraordinarily efficient dabbing the drop shot to win the purpose outright or arrange routine volleys. Alcaraz received 23 of 29 journeys to web.
The problem for Paul was making an attempt to hold with Alcaraz in forehand rallies—and the unsettling unpredictability the two-time champion was imposing.
Living proof, Alcaraz lofted a crazy lob winner for double break level within the fourth recreation then fired a flamethrower forehand down the road, drawing gasps from some startled followers, breaking for a 3-1 second-set lead. Alcaraz backed up the break at 15 for 4-1.
Credit score Paul, who was wanting overmatched in some rallies, for displaying his grit denying six break factors to carry agency for 2-4.
Carving one other slick drop shot for double set level, Alcaraz pumped a serve down the T screaming “come on!” to have fun a two-set lead.
Even when Paul appeared to have the higher hand, Alcaraz answered. At web Alcaraz absorbed a heavy Paul cross into the bod and reflexed a volley winner for the break and a 2-1 third-set lead.
The seven-time main champion received eight of his subsequent 10 service factors stretching his result in 5-3.
Within the remaining recreation, Alcaraz saved two break factors—he saved three of 4 break factors general—then unleashed a working forehand for match level.
Banging an enormous second serve into the physique, Alcaraz closed in two hours, 21 minutes elevating his document vs. Paul to 7-2.
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