Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz reach the US Open quarterfinals

NEW YORK (AP) — Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are back to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, and they made it look easy.

The top-ranked Sabalenka solved some early struggles holding serve and overpowered Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday. Alcaraz also advanced in straight sets, beating Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the second match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I’m happy with that performance,” Alcaraz said. “I played my game. I tried to play my style. Tommy’s such a talented player. His shots are pretty dangerous and it’s sometimes pretty difficult to control the ball when it comes to you, so I just tried to be ready.”

Townsend broke Sabalenka three times in her first four service games as she looked to spring the upset. Sabalenka found a groove, regained her confidence and did not lose another point after falling behind 3-1 in the second set.

“I love matches like that because it was really challenging,” Sabalenka said. “Going through tough challenges and overcoming those challenges, it definitely gives you strength and really strong belief that you can do it.”

This was the first meeting between Sabalenka and Townsend, who gave her opponent fits in the first set but struggled to find her own rhythm.

“This was the most comfortable and confident I’ve ever been playing against a No. 1 player in the world,” Townsend said. “From the beginning, I felt like I belonged. From the beginning, I felt like I was right where I needed to be. I still feel that way.”

Next up for Sabalenka is Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova, who needed six match points to get past Marta Kostyuk 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.

“I played a couple of matches against her in the past, which also wasn’t the easiest matches,” Sabalenka said of Noskova. “Really aggressive style of the game. Serving really well, playing super fast. You’ve got to stay really low to be able to handle that power and energy.”

Playing his first tournament following a four-month absence because of a right wrist injury, Alcaraz said last week he would not be coming back if he could not play like his usual self. The 23-year-old Spaniard has made good on that so far, dropping just one set through four rounds.

Alcaraz dictated play on the way to extending his Grand Slam winning streak to 18. When Paul was making things interesting in the third set, Alcaraz set up match point by hitting a shot so perfectly in bounds that it left actor Matthew McConaughey in disbelief, along with many others in the crowd.

Asked if he thinks he is back to form, Alcaraz responded, “I think so.” The U.S. Open is bringing that out in him.

“I’m just trying to enjoy my time on the court,” Alcaraz said. “It doesn’t matter that I was out four months and a half. Every time that I come here, I play my best.”

Alcaraz will play Tuesday against American Ben Shelton, the No. 8 seed who swept Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday night in his strongest performance of the tournament.

“We’re happy to have him back on tour. He lights up the stadium every time he plays,” Shelton said of Alcaraz. “I think it’s going to be fireworks on Tuesday night.”

Townsend and Paul were among the 10 Americans to reach the men’s and women’s round of 16. That is the most in the fourth round at any Grand Slam in nearly a quarter-century, going back to the 2002 U.S. Open, when there were 11.

The five U.S. men — Paul, Shelton, Learner Tien, Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen — are the most at a major since eight in 1995 at Flushing Meadows.

“American tennis has been on the up and up for many years now,” Townsend said. “There have been a really consistent chunk of players — Jess, Coco — (who) have been at the top and inside the top five for the last, I don’t know how many years. Ben, Frances, Tommy, Taylor: It’s just such a great group of men, as well.”

At 20, Tien is the youngest American man in the U.S. Open fourth round since Andy Roddick in 2002.

Tiafoe knocked off seventh-seeded Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (1), 6-4, 7-6 (6) to improve to 10-0 in his career at Louis Armstrong Stadium, which he called “the people’s court.” Michelsen beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4.

Michelsen and Tiafoe will meet in the quarterfinals Tuesday, guaranteeing an American man in the semifinals. No U.S. men’s player has won a Grand Slam since Roddick in New York in ’03.

There could also be an all-American matchup in the women’s quarterfinals. No. 3 Jessica Pegula got there by beating No. 16 Sorana Cirstea and awaited the winner of the match between 26th-seeded American Emma Navarro and Anna Kalinskaya.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here