Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the US Open quarterfinals Sunday, beating Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, extending his Grand Slam winning streak to 18 matches and dropping just one set through four rounds of his title defense.
He said he was happy with the performance, that he played his game and his style, and that Paul is a talented player whose shots can be difficult to handle. He said he just tried to stay ready.
The 23-year-old Spaniard is playing his first tournament since a right wrist injury. He said before the tournament that he would not return unless he could play like himself. He appears to have done exactly that.
He said the extended break has actually built his confidence and that he surprises himself with how he is feeling and how he is recovering after each match. He said it feels like he has been competing the whole time. He added that every time he comes to the US Open, he plays his best.
When asked if he is back to full form, he said he thinks so. He said he is just trying to enjoy his time on the court and that it does not matter that he was away for four and a half months.
The moment of the match
In the third set, when Paul was making things interesting, Alcaraz hit a shot so precisely in bounds that it drew a visible reaction of disbelief from actor Matthew McConaughey in the US Open crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The post-match confusion
The more entertaining moment came after the match, when Alcaraz joined ESPN analyst Andy Roddick, the 2003 champion, on the broadcast set. Roddick asked Alcaraz about the challenges either of his potential quarterfinal opponents would present, naming Ben Shelton and Stefanos Tsitsipas as his US Open quarterfinalists.
He did not recognize the names as his potential opponents and asked Roddick to repeat the question. When Roddick clarified who was in his quarter, Alcaraz leaned over to read the bracket for himself and reacted with genuine surprise, saying he had thought he was playing a match between Frances Tiafoe and Daniil Medvedev.
The laughter from both men that followed was one of the better moments of the tournament.
Tiafoe did beat Medvedev in that match, but Tiafoe’s quarterfinal opponent is Alex Michelsen. Shelton, the No. 8 seed, beat Tsitsipas in straight sets Sunday night, setting up the matchup Alcaraz did not know was coming.
Earlier in the tournament
Alcaraz mentioned during the US Open week that he is planning to take more scheduled breaks within the tennis season going forward. He said the layoff has shown him that strategic rest can preserve his ability to perform at the highest level.
He is healthy, confident and playing the US Open like the defending champion he is.
