US Open: Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka reach quarter-finals

Returning from a long injury to his right wrist, world number three Carlos Alcaraz, defending champion in New York, continues his journey in New York. The Spaniard now has a meeting in the quarter-finals with the American Ben Shelton (9th) for a first clash between title contenders in Queens. The two men, both aged 23, impressed on Sunday September 6, in the round of 16, respectively dominating the American Tommy Paul (21st) and the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (53rd) in three sets.

If he had already made a good impression during the first three rounds, the returning Carlos Alcaraz had not yet faced a better ranked player than the Portuguese Jaime Faria (72nd). Facing the American, former world number eight, the challenge was taken up without major difficulty by the seven-time winner of a Grand Slam, as inexhaustible in his movements as intractable in his winning shots to win (6-4, 6-3, 6-4). Only the compression sleeve encircling Alcaraz's right arm still betrayed the wrist injury which kept him from the circuit between April and the end of August.

Alcaraz and Shelton gain momentum

“Beating Tommy Paul is always a very good indicator to see where we are. If I had to be a little hard on myself, I would say that I could improve my serve further,” admitted Alcaraz. In the quarter-finals, the challenge will be significant in the quarters since he will face the man in form of the moment Ben Shelton, whom he has beaten twice in as many confrontations, at Roland-Garros in 2025 and in Toronto (Masters 1000) in 2023. But the American advances confident of his strength, after a sluggish start to the tournament which had seen him give up a set in each round. Which was not the case for the left-hander, semi-finalist in 2023, against Stefanos Tsitsipas (6-2, 6-3, 6-4).

Forced to retire due to injury last year in the third round, the Floridian was never worried (no break point from the Greek), and was once again impressive on serve: 12 aces, 84% of points won in the first and 70% in the second. The left-hander hopes that spectators will come in large numbers for the clash against Alcaraz. "We are all happy to see him back on the courts. The level of play he produces is incredible. I'm ready," warned Shelton. The winner will find an American in the semi-finals: Frances Tiafoe (12th in the world), twice semi-finalist in New York, winner of Daniil Medvedev (8th), or Alex Michelsen (46th), who dominated the Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry (32nd).

Sabalenka on alternating current

In the women's draw, double title holder Aryna Sabalenka (1st) also qualified for the quarter-finals, where Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova (6th) awaits her. First poster of the day on Sunday on the Central, the eighth final between Aryna Sabalenka and the American doubles specialist Taylor Townsend (96th in singles) was extremely disjointed, starting with five breaks in a row. More authoritarian in key moments, Sabalenka won 6-4, 6-3. Trailing 3-1 in the second set, the Belarusian suddenly accelerated to win the last five games of the match.

Her opponent in the next round will be the Czech Linda Noskova, winner at Wimbledon this summer, who beat the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk (11th) 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. At 28, the boss of the circuit is obliged to win the tournament if she wants to maintain her place as world number one, coveted by Elena Rybakina (2nd), Jessica Pegula (3rd) and Coco Gauff (4th). Jessica Pegula continued this quest by dispatching the Romanian Sorana Cirstea on Sunday evening (6-3, 6-4). She will meet her compatriot Emma Navarro (17th) in the quarters, who fell during the last match on Sunday against the Russian Anna Kalinskaya (23rd).