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· collected 2026-09-06 · by Stephen Whyno The Associated Press
Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz, the defending U.S. Open champions, advanced to the quarterfinals with ease. Sabalenka defeated Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3, while Alcaraz beat Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in straight sets on Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Both players expressed satisfaction with their performance, with Alcaraz saying he thinks he's back to his usual form after a four-month injury absence. The quarterfinals will see Sabalenka face Linda Noskova and Alcaraz play another opponent to be determined.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are back to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, and they made it look easy.
asserted
it → defend → Open
The top-ranked Sabalenka solved some early struggles holding serve and overpowered Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday.
asserted
Sabalenka → rank → Sunday
Alcaraz also advanced in straight sets, beating Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the second match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
asserted
Alcaraz → advance → Stadium
“I’m happy with that performance,” Alcaraz said.
asserted
Alcaraz → ’m → performance
“I played my game.
asserted
I → play → game
I tried to play my style.
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I → try → style
Tommy’s such a talented player.
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Tommy → ’ → ?
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.”
asserted
I → ’ → you
Townsend broke Sabalenka three times in her first four service games as she looked to spring the upset.
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she → break → upset
Sabalenka found a groove, regained her confidence and did not lose another point after falling behind 3-1 in the second set.
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Sabalenka → find → set
“I love matches like that because it was really challenging,” Sabalenka said.
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Sabalenka → love → that
“Going through tough challenges and overcoming those challenges, it definitely gives you strength and really strong belief that you can do it.”
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you → go → 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.
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who → give → rhythm
“This was the most comfortable and confident I’ve ever been playing against a No. 1 player in the world,” Townsend said.
asserted
Townsend → play → world
“From the beginning, I felt like I belonged.
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I → feel → beginning
From the beginning, I felt like I was right where I needed to be.
asserted
I → feel → beginning
I still feel that way.”
asserted
I → feel → ?
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.
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who → need → Kostyuk
“I played a couple of matches against her in the past, which also wasn’t the easiest matches,” Sabalenka said of Noskova.
asserted
Sabalenka → play → Noskova
You’ve got to stay really low to be able to handle that power and energy.”
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You → get → power
Alcaraz cruises into the quarterfinals
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.
uncertain
he → cruise → self
The 23-year-old Spaniard has made good on that so far, dropping just one set through four rounds.
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Spaniard → make → rounds
Alcaraz dictated play on the way to extending his Grand Slam winning streak to 18.
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Alcaraz → dictate → 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.
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it → make → crowd
Asked if he thinks he is back to form, Alcaraz responded, “I think so.”
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I → ask → form
The U.S. Open is bringing that out in him.
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Open → bring → him
“I’m just trying to enjoy my time on the court,” Alcaraz said.
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Alcaraz → try → court
“It doesn’t matter that I was out four months and a half.
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I → matter → ?
Every time that I come here, I play my best.”
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I → come → best
Americans are making runs at the US Open
Townsend and Paul were among the 10 Americans to reach the men’s and women’s round of 16.
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Townsend → make → 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.
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That → go → Open
“American tennis has been on the up and up for many years now,” Townsend said.
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Townsend → say → years
“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.
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I → know → years
Ben, Frances, Tommy, Taylor: It’s just such a great group of men, as well.”
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It → ’ → men
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.”
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he → knock → which
Michelsen beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4.
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Michelsen → beat → Etcheverry
Michelsen and Tiafoe will meet in the quarterfinals Tuesday, guaranteeing an American man in the semifinals.
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Michelsen → meet → semifinals
No U.S. men’s player has won a Grand Slam since Roddick in New York in ‘03.
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player → win → 03
Shelton and Navarro in prime time
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.
___
asserted
Shelton → face → Kalinskaya
