Carlos Alcaraz rediscovered his best form in his return to Grand Slam tennis, powering past Tommy Paul on Sunday to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals as defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova also advanced to set up a heavyweight showdown.
The second-seeded Alcaraz looked increasingly dangerous with every game on Arthur Ashe Stadium, unleashing a barrage of powerful forehands and precise winners to beat Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
The 23-year-old Spaniard, competing in his first tournament since a wrist injury sidelined him for nearly five months, showed few signs of rust as he moved into the final eight with a commanding performance.
"I'm really happy to see where my level is right now," Alcaraz told reporters. "Beating Tommy is always great feedback to see where you are, and I'm just really happy with everything I've done today.
"I saw the game really well, what I had to do in every moment, using the right things in every moment. Hopefully, I can keep it going."
