Defending champs cruise into quarters | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals with straight-set wins on Sunday. Sabalenka, the tournament’s top seed, overcame early service issues and beat Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3. Townsend broke Sabalenka three times in her first four games, but Sabalenka regained rhythm after trailing 3-1 in the second set and prevented any further points when ahead. Sabalenka next plays Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova, who advanced after using six match points to defeat Marta Kostyuk 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. In the men’s draw, Alcaraz beat Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in his first event after a four-month right-wrist absence, extending his Grand Slam winning streak to 18 matches. He faces American Ben Shelton next.