Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz reach the US Open quarterfinals
- Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka defeated Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round of the U.S. Open on Sunday, September 6, 2026.
- Carlos Alcaraz advanced in straight sets, beating Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the second match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
- Townsend broke Sabalenka three times in her first four service games but Sabalenka regained her confidence and did not lose another point after falling behind 3-1 in the second set.
- This was the first meeting between Sabalenka and Townsend.
- Townsend said it was the most comfortable and confident she had ever felt playing against a No. 1 player in the world.
Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open on Sunday with dominant performances. Top-ranked Sabalenka overcame early serving struggles to defeat Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3, while Alcaraz beat Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in straight sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sabalenka faced a challenging start as Townsend broke her serve three times in the first four games. However, Sabalenka regained her confidence and composure, not losing another point after falling behind 3-1 in the second set. "I love matches like that because it was really challenging," Sabalenka said. "Going through tough challenges and overcoming those challenges, it definitely gives you strength and really strong belief that you can do it."
Alcaraz also played efficiently throughout his match. "I'm happy with that performance," Alcaraz said. "I played my game. I tried to play my style. Tommy's such a talented player. 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."
Townsend, despite the loss, expressed satisfaction with her performance against the world's top-ranked player. "This was the most comfortable and confident I've ever been playing against a No. 1 player in the world," Townsend said. "From the beginning, I felt like I belonged."
卫冕冠军萨巴伦卡和阿尔卡拉兹晋级美网四强
卫冕冠军萨巴伦卡和卡洛斯·阿尔卡拉兹在周日以出色表现晋级美网四强。世界排名第一的萨巴伦卡克服了早期发球困难，以6-4、6-3战胜泰勒·汤森德，而阿尔卡拉兹在阿瑟·阿什球场直落三盘击败汤米·保罗，比分为6-4、6-3、6-4。
萨巴伦卡在比赛开局面临挑战，汤森德在前四个发球局中三次破发。然而，萨巴伦卡重新找到节奏和信心，在第二盘1-3落后后再未失分。萨巴伦卡表示："我喜欢这样的比赛，因为它真的很有挑战性。经历艰难的挑战并克服这些挑战，这确实给了你力量和真正强大的信心。"
阿尔卡拉兹在整场比赛中也表现高效。他说："我对那个表现很满意。我打出了我的风格。汤米是一位非常有天赋的选手。他的击球很危险，有时很难控制来球，所以我只是尽力做好准备。"
尽管输掉了比赛，汤森德对自己对阵世界排名第一选手的表现表示满意。她说："这是我职业生涯中对阵第一号种子时感到最舒适和最自信的一次。从一开始，我就感到我属于这里。"