Carlos Alcaraz produced his most complete display of the US Open so far, beating Tommy Paul in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals. After dropping only one set since arriving at his comeback event, the Spaniard looked close to his best on Arthur Ashe Stadium and controlled the match from start to finish.

Alcaraz won 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a performance that stood above the rest of his tournament. The result sent him into a last-eight meeting with Ben Shelton in New York, and the way he handled Paul suggested another deep run may be on the cards.

Tim Henman was among those impressed by what he saw from Alcaraz. Speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, he said: “It’s a pleasure to watch Alcaraz go through the gears,” said Henman shortly after the Spaniard secured his place in the US Open quarter finals.

“He’s just got better and better as this tournament has gone on. Tommy Paul gave it everything he had but, at the end of the day, Alcaraz was different class.

“The forehand was firing. I’ve seen plenty of good forehands over the years, but I think Alcaraz’s might be the best. It’s unbelievable how he hits it so hard and [it] doesn’t look like missing.”

Shelton has also impressed on his way to the last eight, but the head-to-head record is heavily in Alcaraz’s favour. He has won all three of their previous meetings, losing only one set in the process.

Their most recent clash came at Roland Garros in 2025, when Alcaraz beat Shelton in the round of 16 before going on to win the title. He also defeated the American at the Laver Cup in 2024 and at the Canadian Open in 2023. The quarter-final is scheduled for Tuesday, 8th September, with the order of play still to be confirmed.

Carlos Alcaraz drew attention earlier in the season when he said he would play fewer tournaments after spending four and a half months out with a wrist injury. Since returning to singles at the US Open, the Spaniard has moved into the quarter finals with little trouble.

After his second-round win over Jaime Faria in New York, Alcaraz made his position clear. “In the future, I’m going to take some breaks,” said Alcaraz after defeating Jaime Faria in the second round of the New York Grand Slam. Maybe not four months, but one month, two months, missing some tournaments, because it’s impossible to play them all.”

That comment led many to expect that ATP 500 events and selected Masters tournaments would be the first to disappear from his calendar. Sam Querrey and John Isner even suggested he might skip stops in Miami and Canada.

Against that backdrop, one of his earliest confirmed tournaments for 2027 comes as a surprise. Alcaraz has been announced for the Rotterdam Open, an indoor event in February after the Australian Open. The ATP 500 tournament confirmed the news on social media, writing: “First indoor title. First Rotterdam trophy. He couldn’t be there in 2026. Now he’s coming back. CARLOS ALCARAZ. ROTTERDAM. 2027.”

The Spanish star had been due to play Rotterdam this year, but his run to the Australian Open title forced him to withdraw from the indoor event. He did play there in 2025 and won the title, marking the first time he entered the Dutch tournament.

The decision is notable because Rotterdam comes quickly after the Australian Open and immediately before the Middle Eastern swing, which includes Dubai and Qatar. Those events are known to be highly lucrative for players such as Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, with both receiving $1.2 million for appearing in the ATP 500 event this year.

If he does play that stretch, Alcaraz could already have five tournaments behind him before the clay court swing begins, a demanding start that sits uneasily with his stated wish to take more time away from competition.

Jannik Sinner’s absence continues to be felt at the 2026 US Open, and the world No 1 has offered a short update on the right knee issue that forced him out of the tournament.

The 25-year-old Italian has not competed since beating Alexander Zverev in four sets in the Wimbledon championship match on 12 July. He later missed the Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati before pulling out of the US Open.

Last week, Sinner posted on Instagram and said missing the final Grand Slam of the season was “tough”. He wrote: “Missing the US Open this year is tough,” wrote Sinner. “I was looking forward to being back with the fans, seeing friends and partners.

“New York has a special place in my heart. For now, back to recovery and working to come back stronger. Good luck to all the players! See you soon”

Sinner, who is known to be a Formula One fan, was at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix on Sunday and was asked about his knee. Speaking to Italian newspaper la Repubblica, he said: “The knee? It’s all fine,”

He has not yet said when he plans to return, although he remains on the entry list for his scheduled tournaments after the US Open. Sky Sport Italy reported last month that “the primary option on the table” was a comeback during the Asian swing in Beijing and Shanghai.

Sinner is the reigning China Open champion, and the 2026 ATP 500 event in Beijing begins on 30 September.

When he announced his US Open withdrawal, Sinner said: “Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year.

“We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realised that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue.

“I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart.”