Carlos Alcaraz has kept moving forward at the US Open, beating Tommy Paul 6-4 6-3 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals and continue a run that is beginning to look more convincing with every round. The 23-year-old Spaniard is still managing the effects of a wrist injury, but this was another composed step in New York.
It matters because Alcaraz has reached the last eight while playing only his fourth competitive singles match after an absence of more than four months. He missed the French Open and Wimbledon earlier in summer 2026, so the simple fact that he is back in this part of the draw is a strong sign that the recovery work is paying off.
Recovery first, tennis second
Alcaraz has taken a different approach in New York, putting recovery ahead of everything else in an effort to protect his wrist. As he put it, he has been focused on doing the right things off court with his team and himself, trying to stay healthy and in good shape for the next round.
He also made clear that this is not the time for distractions. Asked about time away from the court, he joked that golf is not an option this year. That may sound light-hearted, but it underlines the discipline behind what he is doing in this tournament.
The key point is that Alcaraz does not need to be at his most explosive every single day to keep winning here. He needs to manage his body, keep finding his level, and trust that the bigger shots will still be there when the pressure rises.
What the quarter-final means
Later on Sunday, Ben Shelton beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 6-3 6-4, which means Alcaraz will now face Shelton in the quarter-finals. That is a real examination of where the wrist stands, especially given the pace Shelton can bring through his serve.
Jeff Tarango said it will be a real test to see how Alcaraz’s wrist handles a 149mph serve coming to that forehand, although he still expects Alcaraz to get through if the wrist is fine. That is the tension now: the form is there, but the physical question remains the one that could shape the rest of the tournament.
Tim Henman felt Alcaraz has handled the early stages exactly as he would have wanted. He said that if you had given Alcaraz a blank sheet before the tournament and asked how he wanted the first four matches to go, this would have been the script. Henman also noted that even with a few tricky moments, Alcaraz has come up with incredible tennis at the important points.
That is why this run feels significant. Alcaraz has already won the US Open in 2022 and 2025, and he has won his previous three tour-level matches against Shelton. The next round will tell us more, but for now he has done exactly what he needed to do: keep winning, keep recovering and keep building confidence.
