An extraterrestrial lands in New York

Carlos Alcaraz is out of this world. What the Spanish tennis player is achieving at the US Open 2026 after 4 and a half months out of the circuit due to a wrist injury is on par with a select few. Today, Tommy Paul experienced it firsthand, his first major test, succumbing to the excellence of the Murcian with a score of 6-4 6-3 6-4 after 2 hours and 22 minutes of play.

The norm for a player coming back from so many months of inactivity is to start much more hesitantly upon their return, even with fear if the comeback occurs in a Grand Slam best of 5 sets. The good news for tennis is that Carlos is not normal. In just 3 matches, he has already gifted us with an epic performance, where he has not given a single opportunity to a very tough player like Paul, who already knew what it was like to beat him on two occasions. They've faced each other once in each Grand Slam, and all have been victories for Alcaraz, who is now awaiting in the quarter-finals for Ben Shelton or Stefanos Tsitsipas. 

Alcaraz raises his level at the right moment to win the first set

The match began with both players playing at a very high pace, both with forehand and backhand, just as they had in their previous encounters. Both produced some of the best points of the tournament in the early games, which promised a high-flying match, and they granted minimal opportunities to their opponent on the return. Beyond a few 40-40s, the opportunities were scant, and proof of that was that there were no break points in the first nine games.

However, it was at that moment when Alcaraz brought out his champion's spirit to raise the pace at the most tense moment of the set, forcing Paul to make mistakes. The Spanish player hit several forehands that pushed the American off the court, generating a 0-40 in his favor, meaning 3 break points, and set points. Tommy saved the first with an ace, but on the second he hit a forehand that just missed, giving the first set to Carlos. A very tough and high-level first set that was vital to win to start with an advantage.

The second set began with an imperial Alcaraz, achieving a 0-40 for a second consecutive game on the return with a cannon-like forehand trademark. His forehand was becoming his best weapon, feeling it better than ever, and with another winner, he sealed the break and took a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard. However, Paul immediately responded with a 15-40. Carlos saved the first, but on the second, he missed a forehand that leveled the scoreboard.

Alcaraz showcases incredible tennis against Paul

The good news for the Spaniard beyond the break is that he was starting to feel very comfortable on the return, reading Paul’s serves better each time, which led to another break that he successfully consolidated with his serve to go up 4-1 while playing at a very high level. In fact, at that point, Carlos began to frustrate Tommy, as he showed no cracks in his game. Neither on the backhand, nor at the net, nor on the forehand... Everything was working for the Murcian.

Nonetheless, the American player relied on his crowd to save several break points at 4-1 and stem the bleeding, with Arthur Ashe coming alive in hopes of leveling the match. This situation did not prevent Alcaraz from continuing with his game, growing increasingly confident and closing the set with a 6-3 that left him a step away from the quarter-finals against a difficult opponent like Paul. Undoubtedly, his two best sets of the entire tournament.

An epic performance

In the third set, it seemed Paul had come out determined to give it his all, but at 1-1 the Spanish player displayed cat-like reflexes at the net to achieve another break that put him at 2-1 with serve. Tommy couldn’t believe it, and Carlos looked at his bench with a smile that was a clear sign of how much fun he was having on the court. 

The most tense moment of the entire set came at 5-4 for Alcaraz, just when he had to serve for the match. The crowd rallied to cheer on Tommy, and Carlos made more errors than usual, leading to a 15-40 that the Spaniard saved with a great serve and a forehand volley that left Arthur Ashe in silence. Immediately after, he hit another cross-court forehand to have his first match point, and he converted it to reach the quarter-finals and present a serious candidacy to defend his title in New York. A wonderful match that prepares him for what’s next, which won’t be easy.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un extraterrestre aterriza en Nueva York