Carlos Alcaraz crushes Tommy Paul, Linda Noskova storms into maiden US Open quarters

The second seed had to work for the opening set as Paul looked to use the home crowd and his aggressive tennis to unsettle Alcaraz. But the Spaniard remained patient, absorbing the American’s pace before turning defence into attack.

A crucial break late in the set gave Alcaraz the advantage, and he made sure Paul had little opportunity to fight his way back. Alcaraz carried that momentum into the second set, taking control of rallies with his powerful forehand and exceptional movement.

What Happened

Paul was repeatedly forced into defensive positions as the Spaniard dictated play from the baseline. Alcaraz broke at key moments and protected his own serve to move within one set of another convincing victory.

• Having already won her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon earlier this year, Noskova has shown that she is comfortable handling the pressure of the biggest stages.

• Her reward is a quarterfinal against defending champion and world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3.

• She held her nerve in the crucial moments and eventually sealed a 6-4 victory to secure her 11th consecutive Grand Slam win.

Key Details

The victory was Alcaraz’s 11th consecutive win at the US Open, his 18th straight Grand Slam win on hard courts and his 15th Grand Slam quarterfinal. It was also his fifth US Open quarterfinal.

• The setback could have rattled Noskova, but the 27-year-old regained her composure in the deciding set.

• While Alcaraz powered through his fourth-round contest, Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova produced an equally impressive display of resilience to reach her maiden US Open quarterfinal.

• However, the Spaniard has looked increasingly sharp as the tournament has progressed, suggesting that his best tennis may still be ahead of him.

Why It Matters

Alcaraz will next face either Ben Shelton or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals.

• Alcaraz’s run is particularly impressive given that he spent four months away from competition because of a wrist injury.

• Shelton, seeded eighth, and Tsitsipas were scheduled to meet in the other fourth-round clash, with both players looking to earn a blockbuster meeting with the defending champion.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by India Today as more details emerge