{"id":1047819,"date":"2026-09-06T23:59:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T23:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1047819\/"},"modified":"2026-09-06T23:59:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T23:59:20","slug":"defending-champions-sabalenka-and-alcaraz-reach-the-us-open-quarterfinals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1047819\/","title":{"rendered":"Defending champions Sabalenka and Alcaraz reach the US Open quarterfinals"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka<\/a> and Carlos Alcaraz<\/a> are back to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, and they made it look easy.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy with that performance,\u201d Alcaraz said. \u201cI played my game. I tried to play my style. Tommy\u2019s such a talented player. His shots are pretty dangerous and it\u2019s sometimes pretty difficult to control the ball when it comes to you, so I just tried to be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love matches like that because it was really challenging,\u201d Sabalenka said. \u201cGoing through tough challenges and overcoming those challenges, it definitely gives you strength and really strong belief that you can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was the most comfortable and confident I\u2019ve ever been playing against a No. 1 player in the world,\u201d Townsend said. \u201cFrom 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next up for Sabalenka is Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova<\/a>, who needed six match points to get past Marta Kostyuk 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played a couple of matches against her in the past, which also wasn\u2019t the easiest matches,\u201d Sabalenka said of Noskova. \u201cReally aggressive style of the game. Serving really well, playing super fast. You\u2019ve got to stay really low to be able to handle that power and energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alcaraz cruises into the quarterfinals<\/p>\n

Playing his first tournament following a four-month absence because of a right wrist injury<\/a>, 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<\/a> through four rounds.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>, along with many others in the crowd.<\/p>\n

Asked if he thinks he is back to form, Alcaraz responded, \u201cI think so.\u201d The U.S. Open is bringing that out in him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just trying to enjoy my time on the court,\u201d Alcaraz said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter that I was out four months and a half. Every time that I come here, I play my best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Americans are making runs at the US Open<\/p>\n

Townsend and Paul were among the 10 Americans to reach the men\u2019s and women\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

The five U.S. men \u2014 Paul, Ben Shelton, Learner Tien, Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen \u2014 are the most at a major since eight in 1995 at Flushing Meadows.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican tennis has been on the up and up for many years now,\u201d Townsend said. \u201cThere have been a really consistent chunk of players \u2014 Jess, Coco \u2014 (who) have been at the top and inside the top five for the last, I don\u2019t know how many years. Ben, Frances, Tommy, Taylor: It\u2019s just such a great group of men, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

At 20, Tien is the youngest American man in the U.S. Open fourth round since Andy Roddick in 2002. <\/p>\n

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 \u201cthe people\u2019s court.\u201d Michelsen beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4.<\/p>\n

Michelsen and Tiafoe will meet in the quarterfinals Tuesday, guaranteeing an American man in the semifinals. No U.S. men\u2019s player has won a Grand Slam since Roddick in New York in \u201903.<\/p>\n

Shelton and Navarro in prime time<\/p>\n

Shelton, the No. 8 seed, faces Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday night of Labor Day weekend at Ashe, followed by fellow American Emma Navarro against Anna Kalinskaya. <\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

See AP\u2019s full tennis coverage here<\/a><\/p>\n