The defending champion swept aside Tommy Paul in straight sets to reach the US Open quarter-finals, extending his Grand Slam winning streak and showing that his return from a lengthy wrist injury is accelerating at precisely the right moment.

Carlos Alcaraz arrived at this year’s US Open carrying considerably more uncertainty than usually surrounds one of tennis’s dominant players.

Four and a half months away from competition because of a right wrist injury had interrupted his season and deprived him of the rhythm normally considered essential before a two-week Grand Slam tournament.

A week into the championship, those concerns are beginning to disappear.

Alcaraz produced his most convincing performance of the tournament on Sunday, defeating American 20th seed Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach the quarter-finals without surrendering control of the match.

For the Spaniard, the victory represented more than progression into the final eight.

It was evidence that his game is beginning to recover the combination of aggression, speed and improvisation that has already delivered seven Grand Slam titles.

Asked afterwards whether he believed he was finally operating at “full power,” Alcaraz’s answer was simple: “I think so.”

The statistics increasingly support him.

The victory extended Alcaraz’s Grand Slam winning streak to 18 consecutive matches, including 11 straight at Flushing Meadows, where he is attempting to defend his title. It also secured his fifth US Open quarter-final appearance.

Paul tests him early

For several games, Paul appeared capable of turning the match into the physical battle many expected.

Playing in front of a home crowd, the American opened aggressively, serving confidently and striking clean winners from both wings.

Paul possesses the athleticism and court coverage to trouble almost any opponent, and his ability to absorb pace initially prevented Alcaraz from immediately imposing himself.

But the critical difference soon became apparent.

Alcaraz did not need to dominate every rally.

He simply dominated the rallies that mattered.

The Spaniard gradually increased pressure on Paul’s service games, forcing him to play repeatedly under scoreboard stress before finally breaking late in the opening set.

Once Alcaraz established that advantage, the character of the contest began to change.

The defending champion increasingly controlled the centre of the court, stepped inside the baseline more frequently and used his forehand to pull Paul into uncomfortable defensive positions.

The first set disappeared 6-4.

From there, Alcaraz rarely looked threatened.

A more mature version of Alcaraz

The spectacular shots remain.

There were explosive forehands, sudden changes of direction and the kind of improvised attacking tennis that has become Alcaraz’s trademark.

But perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the performance was how little he depended on them.

Alcaraz has occasionally been accused of trying to produce brilliance when simplicity would suffice.

Against Paul, he showed increasing willingness to construct points patiently before accelerating.

That balance between entertainment and efficiency is becoming one of the defining characteristics of his development.

The player who first captivated tennis with extraordinary speed and fearless shot-making is increasingly learning when not to attack.

Against Paul, that maturity proved decisive.

The American recovered an early break during the second set, briefly suggesting that the match might tighten.

Alcaraz responded immediately.

Rather than retreating, he continued to pressure Paul’s serve and eventually reclaimed control, taking the set 6-3.

By the third, the Spaniard looked increasingly comfortable.

He completed the victory after two hours and 21 minutes, finishing a match in which Paul was constantly forced to defend against pressure from both the baseline and the scoreboard.

The forehand is returning

For Alcaraz, one of the biggest questions entering New York concerned his forehand.

The right wrist injury that kept him away from competition naturally generated doubts about whether he would be able to strike the ball freely when forced into repeated high-intensity exchanges.

Those doubts are fading rapidly.

Against Paul, Alcaraz increasingly attacked with full acceleration from the forehand side, particularly when able to move around the ball and dictate from inside the court.

The shot has always been central to his identity.

At its best, Alcaraz’s forehand allows him to transform neutral rallies into attacking situations almost instantly.

His ability to disguise direction makes the stroke particularly difficult to anticipate, while his speed enables him to create attacking opportunities from positions that would normally leave other players defending.

Sunday’s match contained several reminders that those qualities are returning.

His winning forehand to create match point was perhaps the clearest illustration.

The wrist no longer appeared to be determining his choices.

Alcaraz was.

Serving with greater authority

His serve has also become increasingly important.

Alcaraz will probably never rely on raw serving power in the same way as some of the tour’s tallest players, but his placement and variation have improved considerably.

Against Paul, the serve repeatedly gave him favourable first-ball opportunities.

That matters because Alcaraz is particularly dangerous when he can begin rallies from an attacking position.

A well-placed serve followed by a forehand allows him to take immediate control of the court.

The combination reduces the number of physically demanding exchanges he needs to play and becomes especially valuable during a seven-match Grand Slam campaign.

After months away from competition, conserving energy may prove almost as important as producing spectacular tennis.

From uncertainty to belief

Alcaraz has acknowledged that he entered the tournament unsure how his body and game would respond.

His opening rounds reflected that uncertainty.

He defeated Roman Safiullin in straight sets before dropping the opening set against Jaime Faria in the second round. He recovered emphatically to win that match in four and then defeated Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.

Each performance has been progressively stronger.

After beating Paul, Alcaraz said he now feels capable of winning the tournament.

That represents a significant change from the cautious expectations with which he arrived in New York.

For his rivals, it is an uncomfortable development.

A healthy Alcaraz would already rank among the leading contenders for any Grand Slam.

An Alcaraz who is improving with every round can be even more dangerous because his confidence tends to accelerate alongside his tennis.

Shelton waits in the quarter-finals

The next challenge will be Ben Shelton, who overwhelmed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 to book his place in the quarter-finals.

The matchup promises a dramatic contrast.

Shelton brings one of the most explosive serves in men’s tennis, aggressive baseline hitting and the energy of an American playing in front of a New York crowd.

Alcaraz brings greater variety, superior defensive movement and considerably more experience in the latter stages of majors.

The Spaniard also holds a 3-0 career record against Shelton, giving him an important psychological advantage entering Tuesday’s quarter-final.

Yet Shelton’s performance against Tsitsipas demonstrated how dangerous he can become when his serve is working.

The American did not face a single break point.

Against Alcaraz, maintaining that level will be considerably more difficult.

The Spaniard generated 14 break-point opportunities against Paul and converted four, repeatedly demonstrating his ability to transform apparently comfortable service games into prolonged battles.

That return pressure could become one of the decisive features of the quarter-final.

A changed tournament landscape

Alcaraz’s position in the draw has also become increasingly favourable.

Several major contenders have already disappeared, while others have struggled to produce convincing performances.

That inevitably increases the attention surrounding the defending champion.

Yet Alcaraz has historically been most dangerous when he embraces rather than avoids expectation.

His relationship with Arthur Ashe Stadium is becoming particularly significant.

The combination of the enormous court, energetic crowds and late-night atmosphere appears ideally suited to his personality.

Alcaraz thrives when tennis becomes theatrical.

He celebrates spectacular winners, feeds off crowd noise and frequently plays with greater freedom when matches become emotionally charged.

Those qualities helped make him a US Open champion.

They are beginning to reappear.

More than a comeback

The most impressive aspect of Alcaraz’s run may ultimately be the speed with which he has rediscovered elite-level tennis.

Four and a half months is a substantial absence in professional sport.

Timing disappears.

Match fitness declines.

Decision-making under pressure can become slower.

Most players require several tournaments before rediscovering competitive rhythm.

Alcaraz has attempted to rebuild that rhythm during a Grand Slam.

The risk was obvious.

So far, the reward has been considerable.

He has dropped only one set through four rounds and now stands three victories away from another major title.

At 23, he has already accumulated seven Grand Slam championships and 26 career titles, numbers that underline how unusual his trajectory has become.

His success has never depended purely on physical talent.

What increasingly separates Alcaraz from much of the tour is his ability to adapt during matches.

He can defend.

He can attack.

He can slow rallies down or accelerate them suddenly.

He can move opponents with heavy topspin before finishing at the net.

And when one element of his game disappears, he increasingly finds another route to victory.

That versatility makes him exceptionally difficult to defeat over five sets.

The title defence becomes serious

The US Open quarter-finals are normally where a tournament begins to change character.

Early-round surprises disappear.

The remaining players are generally established contenders or opponents playing exceptional tennis.

Mistakes become more expensive.

Matches become more physical.

For Alcaraz, the timing appears almost perfect.

Instead of peaking too early, his level has risen progressively.

Safiullin represented the return.

Faria tested his resilience.

Wu allowed him to build momentum.

Paul demanded something more sophisticated.

Alcaraz responded by producing his best tennis of the fortnight.

Shelton will now ask a different question.

Can the Spaniard neutralise one of the tournament’s most aggressive servers while handling the pressure of an American crowd desperate for a home champion?

On current evidence, Alcaraz will enter that match as the favourite.

But the larger story extends beyond a single quarter-final.

A week ago, the principal question surrounding Carlos Alcaraz was whether his wrist and match fitness would allow him to survive seven rounds at Flushing Meadows.

After four increasingly convincing victories, the conversation has changed.

The question now is whether anybody remaining in the draw can prevent him from winning the title again.

Alcaraz has not yet reached his destination.

But against Tommy Paul, he looked unmistakably like a champion beginning to remember exactly how dominant he can be.