150 days of waiting are over: Alcaraz knocks on the door of glory once again

Carlos Alcaraz kept his US Open title defence alive with a comfortable straight-sets win over American Tommy Paul, running out a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 winner to reach the quarter-finals.

One of the favourites for the crown, the Spaniard had few problems seeing off world number 21 Paul. He imposed his attacking game, dominated the big moments and picked up a fourth straight win to keep his run going at the last Grand Slam of the year.

The opening set was fiercely contested. Paul threatened Alcaraz's serve throughout, but the Spaniard bided his time and pounced on his first chance to break, taking the set and edging closer to the next round.

The pressure never let up in the second. Alcaraz broke Paul's serve again before a forehand error handed the break back to the American. The response was swift. Alcaraz broke a third time, his forehand doing the damage, to seal the set to roars from the Arthur Ashe crowd.

Paul went looking for a way back in the third, but Alcaraz stayed in control. An early break put him ahead and he held serve to the finish, wrapping up victory in three straight sets and booking his place in the quarter-finals.

The win does wonders for Alcaraz's belief as he chases a repeat of his New York triumph. Tellingly, the Spaniard has never lost a Grand Slam match after winning the first two sets.

Victory takes Alcaraz back into a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time in 150 days, keeping his hunt for another title alive at Flushing Meadows.

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