Carlos Alcaraz continued his dominant run at the Australian Open, easing into his third consecutive quarter-final appearance on Sunday after defeating American Tommy Paul in straight sets. The match at Rod Laver Arena was briefly disrupted by a medical emergency in the stands but ended with the world number one delivering another commanding Grand Slam performance.
Alcaraz defeated the 19th-seeded Paul 7-6(6), 6-4, 7-5 in sunny Melbourne conditions, extending his recent dominance over the American. The Spaniard had previously thrashed Paul in the 2025 French Open quarter-finals and beaten him in four sets at Wimbledon 2024, once again proving too strong on the big stage.
“He started pretty strong, but I knew I was going to have my chances,” Alcaraz said after the match. “It was a really high level of tennis from both sides, and I’m really happy I finished it in straight sets.”
Match Interrupted by Medical Emergency
The opening set was halted for around 14 minutes at 3-3 in the tiebreak when medical staff attended to an old-age woman in the crowd. Play resumed after she was safely escorted out of the arena. Soon after, Paul double-faulted at a crucial moment, handing Alcaraz the first set and momentum in the match.
Despite showing flashes of resistance, Paul struggled to maintain consistency. A single service break in each of the final two sets proved sufficient for Alcaraz, who was rock-solid on serve and gave his opponent very few opportunities.
Serving Change Draws Djokovic Comparisons
Alcaraz has made a subtle adjustment to his serving motion ahead of the tournament, prompting comparisons with Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard revealed that the Serbian legend even joked about it.
“I wasn’t aware it was really similar to Novak’s serve,” Alcaraz said with a smile. “I got a message from Djokovic saying, ‘Alright, you have to pay me.’”
Quarter-final Challenge Ahead
Alcaraz will next face the winner of the clash between sixth seed Alex de Minaur and 10th seed Alexander Bublik, as he continues his pursuit of another Grand Slam title.
With his confidence high and form peaking, Alcaraz remains one of the strongest contenders for the Australian Open crown, showing once again why he sits atop the men’s tennis rankings.