Carlos Alcaraz continued to make a strong case for his comeback at the US Open, sweeping past Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to move into the last 16 in New York.

Before the tournament, some prominent voices questioned whether returning to a best-of-five-set Grand Slam after four-and-a-half months out with a wrist injury was wise. Andy Roddick and Greg Rusedski were among those who felt Alcaraz would be unlikely to gamble with his long-term health by coming back in the sport’s longest format.

So far, those doubts have not held up on court. The seven-time Grand Slam winner has handled his opening three matches at Flushing Meadows with authority and now looks increasingly like the leading candidate to complete a remarkable title run. Even so, Alcaraz suggested there is still more to come before his fourth-round meeting with Tommy Paul.

“Today was a really high rhythm. The way he plays, his balls leap around the court, but I stayed there and played aggressively and smart,” said Alcaraz.

“In the toughest moments, I did everything good, which I’m really happy about.

“Could it be better? Yes. But overall I’m just really proud and happy with the performance today.

“To be honest, I’m playing better than I thought [after over four months out injured with his wrist].

“Physically, I thought I was going to be dead after the first match. But I’m recovering really well.

“My level right now is really good, I’ve got the rhythm of the competition every time I step on the court.”

That assessment appears fair. His serve is gaining pace, his forehand is being struck with heavy power and his competitive edge looks fully restored, helped by strong backing from the large group in his box.

Alcaraz also has one of the biggest travelling entourages in men’s tennis, with coaches, brothers, parents and managers all trying to secure seats for each match. Family remains central to him, and when asked to name a dream doubles partner from his own relatives, he chose his younger brother.

“I have to say Jamie,” said Alcaraz. “He is doing great. Hopefully one day I can play doubles with him. I’m waiting for him.”

For now, the storyline is simple: Alcaraz is playing with enough control and conviction to challenge the usual assumptions about what is possible after injury, and he is doing it at Grand Slam level.

Aryna Sabalenka briefly interrupted her third-round US Open match against Kamila Rakhimova after reporting a strong smell of weed inside Louis Armstrong Stadium.

During the third game, the top seed addressed the chair umpire and said, “Someone is smoking weed.” At the time, the 28-year-old was leading 30-0 and serving at the south end of the stadium, the second-largest court at Flushing Meadows behind Arthur Ashe.

Sabalenka then pressed the point with a request to the official, saying, “Would you mind to (tell them to deal with it) because it’s so strong?” The umpire immediately contacted officials, and US Open staff then moved into the crowd in an effort to locate the source of the smell.

Sabalenka was not alone in drawing attention to the atmosphere around the grounds this week. Adrian Mannarino also spoke out after what he viewed as poor crowd etiquette at Flushing Meadows, where there has also been a rise in paid influencers attending the event.

After his second-round loss to Alexander Bublik, the 38-year-old Frenchman said, “Now people are allowed to move around in the crowd during points. Before, they were not allowed in the court except during changeovers. Now they come in whenever they feel like it; they move around and talk.

“The tournament puts up with it, and I don’t know if it’s the best thing for tennis in general. There’s a smell of marijuana on the court, noise everywhere; the truth is it’s turning into a bit of a zoo. The playing conditions are really peculiar.”

While smoking weed is forbidden inside the tournament grounds, the issue has been dismissed by some former players. Before Sabalenka’s complaint, the Nothing Major podcast team of John Isner, Sam Querrey, and Steve Johnson described it as a “non-issue”.

Isner said, “Players [are] complaining about the aroma of cannabis around the grounds? Especially on court. You walk around New York City, you smell it everywhere. But players have been complaining about it. Mannarino complained about it.

“Because now people are allowed to move around in the stands during the points. I like that. What do you all think about the weed smell that these players are dealing with on the court? Non-issue?”

Querrey also rejected the criticism and urged detractors to stop complaining. The former world No 11 said, “It’s a non-issue. If it’s anything, it’s like way back in a practice court or something. It’s great. This tournament’s awesome. All this stuff with the influencers that are taking over. People on the internet are such idiots. Everyone’s just complaining to complain.”

The discussion over the smell at the Championships now appears set to continue.

Andre Agassi’s view of Grand Slam glory has remained blunt since he first lifted a major trophy in 1992 at age 22. Speaking during this year’s French Open, the eight-time major champion said that winning a Slam does not alter the demands that follow. In his view, the work continues, and the weight of expectation is never really lifted.

Agassi explained, “We have had a lot of one Slam wonders, that have done some[thing] incredible — I’m sure they’re thrilled they won. When I finally got over the finish line [and won my first Grand Slam], I was let in on a dirty little secret: that winning changes nothing.

“You are gonna have that pressure again if you have more expectations from yourself. So you gotta deal with it, you gotta bring it on Sunday like you did at the start of the tournament.”

Linda Noskova has found that same message reflected in her own career since winning her maiden major at this year’s Wimbledon. The 21-year-old has since admitted to difficulties with motivation and results. Before the US Open, the Czech player said, “Once you feel like you have kind of achieved the dream that you have always been thinking about and dreaming about, it’s very tough to switch and to act like it never happened basically and go for the same thing all over again.

“The motivation is not 100% as it was right before the tournament.”

Sam Querrey has also challenged the idea that a major title automatically brings freedom. After watching French Open champion Alexander Zverev battle through two five-set matches in his first two US Open rounds, the former world No 11 said the myth does not hold up.

He said on Nothing Major, “The top players get through these top rounds pretty easily. He [Zverev] is struggling right now, for whatever reason. I think there’s a whole myth that when you win a major it relaxes you and frees you up.

“That is so not the case. It’s not like all of a sudden Zverev won Roland Garros; he doesn’t get nervous or anything. That’s not just for him; that’s for anyone.”

Zverev looked more at ease at Wimbledon, where he lost a close four-set match to Jannik Sinner. At Flushing Meadows, however, he now faces 25th seed Alejandro Tabilo on Saturday after two matches that went deep into the night. To win his first US Open, he may need a far cleaner route through the tournament.