Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the quarterfinals of the US Open after defeating Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, capping a four-month recovery from injury with a dominant straight-sets victory that established him as a leading tournament favorite, according to La Voz de Galicia.
A Commanding Return to the Second Week in New York
Coming into the tournament following a four-month period of inactivity, the Spanish player faced doubts regarding his match fitness for best-of-five-set tennis. Those questions were answered on the hard courts of New York. By securing a straight-sets win over Paul, Alcaraz reached the tournament’s final eight, positioning himself three victories away from capturing his eighth career Grand Slam title and his third US Open crown, as reported by La Voz de Galicia.
Tactical Breakdown and the Turning Point Against Paul
The match turned decisively during the tenth game of the opening set. With Paul serving at 4-5 to stay in the set, the American adopted a more conservative approach that allowed Alcaraz to press his advantage. Once the first set slipped away, Paul struggled to counter the Spaniard’s pace, frequently finding himself unable to win more than two consecutive points against a relentless baseline attack, according to La Voz de Galicia.
Alcaraz demonstrated tactical variety throughout the match, approaching the net 29 times—compared to just eight net approaches in his previous encounter against Yibing Wu—and winning 80 percent of those points at the net. That willingness to move forward underscored a high comfort level on court, culminating in a dramatic conclusion on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court where he erased two break points with aggressive forehand volleys to close out the contest, as noted by La Voz de Galicia.
Historical Context and Next Opponent
Reflecting on his recovery prior to the tournament, Alcaraz noted the precedents set by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who successfully returned from long-term injury layoffs to claim major titles. With this latest victory, Alcaraz holds the highest career match win percentage in US Open history, boasting 28 wins against only 3 losses at the tournament.
«He jugado a mi estilo. Estoy muy contento con mi nivel. Creo que sí que estoy a mi mejor nivel», said Alcaraz, as reported by La Voz de Galicia.
What Comes Next
Alcaraz advances to the quarterfinals, where he will face the winner of the upcoming match between Ben Shelton and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
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