Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka facing tricky American tests at US Open

[p]The Spaniard, playing his first tournament since a four-month absence with a wrist injury, acknowledges he has yet to play his best but says he's "getting there" with both the sharpness of his shots and his on-court decision-making.[/p][p]He headlines a day that also features women's two-time defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] and third-ranked American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a] -- just one of the players with a chance to supplant Sabalenka atop the world rankings in New York.[/p][p]Surprise Wimbledon champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noskova-linda/zHMiAkw6/"]Linda Noskova[/a] will try to continue her progress toward another Grand Slam against dangerous Ukrainian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kostyuk-marta/8CZqQdSa/"]Marta Kostyuk[/a], while US hope [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tiafoe-frances/AHDLJaph/"]Frances Tiafoe[/a] faces the always tricky former champion, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a].[/p][p]AFP Sport looks at three matches to watch on Day 8 of the US Open:[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alcaraz-garfia-c-UkhgIFEq/paul-t-pd3ye1BS/?mid=61xrbBKU"]Carlos Alcaraz vs Tommy Paul (6-2)[/a][/h2][p]Although [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Alcaraz[/a] has dominated their meetings -- [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paul-tommy/pd3ye1BS/"]Paul[/a]'s last win over the Spaniard was back in 2023 -- the defending champion said the American is "really dangerous for everyone on the tour.[/p][p]"[b]The way he plays, the way he hits the ball, it's really complicated to dominate the ball, dominate the points[/b]," said Alcaraz, who won their last meeting in the Australian Open quarter-finals on the way to the title that made him the youngest man to claim a career Grand Slam.[/p][embed guid="70d14527-1d5b-4155-a032-95d1df0e5dc7" url="https://x.com/usopen/status/2096473933025300915" social-type="twitter" /][p]Alcaraz said he was looking forward to another great battle -- and having some fun.[/p][p]"[b]We pull off great points, great shots[/b]," he said. "[b]It's going to be really fun to watch, fun to play, as well[/b]."[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/shelton-b-QNuG0Gzb/tsitsipas-s-hb6oWfc6/?mid=jwb5lR0e"]Ben Shelton vs Stefanos Tsitsipas (0-1)[/a][/h2][p]A resurgent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsitsipas-stefanos/hb6oWfc6/"]Tsitsipas[/a] has [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shelton-ben/QNuG0Gzb/"]Shelton[/a]'s attention. The former top-five player from Greece upset red-hot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Arthur Fils[/a] in the first round and ousted 18th-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lehecka-jiri/6PlgfXKR/"]Jiri Lehecka[/a] in the third and is deeper into a Grand Slam than he's been in more than two years.[/p][p]Playing pain-free after back problems derailed his 2025 campaign, the two-time Grand Slam finalist is also working with a new coach, having replaced his father Apostolos in that role.[/p][image alt="Win probability" id="68f4369c-ad04-486e-8028-ef5efa4406db" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="6420a524-b9b6-40c3-b34c-38a87a57c9db" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]"[b]I have been watching his matches[/b]," Shelton said. "[b]I think he's playing great. I think that his style of tennis can be very, very effective on all surfaces, all-court game, great athlete[/b]."[/p][p]Shelton said his three four-set wins in the first three rounds -- against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/griekspoor-tallon/f3zfMU5i/"]Tallon Griekspoor[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hurkacz-hubert/zuHOBnY9/"]Hubert Hurkacz[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shapovalov-denis/zXddgn9o/"]Denis Shapovalov[/a] -- had him well prepared for anything Tsitsipas might throw at him.[/p][p]"I think this is a great way to start the tournament in terms of variety. I have dealt with a lefty, dealt with a big hitter, dealt with a feel guy, dealt with a massive server, dealt with a spot server, serve and volleyer."[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/townsend-t-Y9jUuHka/?mid=txzQXa4t"]Aryna Sabalenka v Taylor Townsend (First meeting)[/a][/h2][p]Sabalenka knows she'll be in hostile territory when she takes on 96th-ranked American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/townsend-taylor/Y9jUuHka/"]Townsend[/a] on Arthur Ashe Stadium.[/p][p]"[b]I think I'm ready for the crowd situation[/b]," Sabalenka said. "[b]She's, I'd say, tricky player, because she brings the variety -- comes to the net, really make you think during the game[/b]."[/p][image alt="Sabalenka is facing Townsend for the first time" id="4bbffb10-c14b-4618-89e1-7e0fc249c056" credit-line="REUTERS / Eduardo Munoz" guid="9751e91e-9438-45c9-8e41-f7b494594aff" original-width="4960" original-height="3346" /][p]Townsend is in the fourth round for a second straight year, but it has been anything but a straightforward 12 months for the 30-year-old, who says she has "been through a lot over this past year."[/p][p]It hasn't dimmed her desire to win, and Townsend said she was "pumped" to take on Sabalenka in a quest for a first Grand Slam singles quarter-final.[/p][p]"[b]I'm built for these moments[/b]," Townsend, a three-time Grand Slam doubles winner, said. "[b]I'm ready to take it. I'm ready to go[/b]."[/p][infobox id="3dc51b3a-107f-482b-9173-a97d347ef1b3" /]