Carlos Alcaraz continues to show impressive form and takes another step towards writing tennis history after easily winning the quarterfinals of the US Open 2026.
The Spanish player - who no longer showed any signs of a wrist injury that once caused him to be out of action for more than 4 months before the tournament - defeated host player Tommy Paul after 3 quick sets.
Alcaraz is currently the youngest male tennis player to complete a Grand Slam title collection in his career; if he continues to win the US Open (Flushing Meadows) for the second consecutive time, he will become the only male tennis player in the Open Era to successfully defend major titles on all 3 different courts.
After winning Wimbledon grass courts (in 2023 and 2024) and clay courts at the French Open (in 2023 and 2024), this 23-year-old player can complete his collection of titles on hard courts if he wins next Sunday.
Paul, 20th seed, was once very confident about his chances before the match when he declared: "I always consider myself to be someone who can beat those top players".
However, the score of 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 means that Alcaraz has defeated this 29-year-old player 6 times in a row, and won all 14 recent sets between the two.
Paul is eliminated, but US tennis will have at least one player in the semi-finals, when Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen set up the all-US quarter-finals.
Tiaffoe's strength in playing eliminated the No. 7 seed from Russia, Daniil Medvedev only scored 3 sets - 7-6 (1), 6-4, 7-6 (6), while Michelsen beat Tomas Etcheverry also in 3 sets - 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4).
Hope for US tennis at home has also Ben Shelton, when the No. 8 seed convincingly defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. However, in the quarterfinals, the 23-year-old player will have to face Alcaraz.
In the women's singles, Aryna Sabalenka also showed superior strength like Alcaraz in the men's singles, with a 6-3, 6-4 victory in 1 hour and 15 minutes against Taylor Townsend of the United States.
The opponent of the No. 1 seed, the defending champion, is Linda Noskova. The Czech player defeated Marta Kostyuk 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 after 2 hours and 27 minutes.
No. 3 seed, Jessica Pegula defeated Sorana Cristea 6-3, 6-4, and there will be a US-wide quarter-final if Emma Navarro overcomes Anna Kalinskaya.
