Alcaraz Beats Wu to Reach US Open Last 16

Carlos Alcaraz beat Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 on Friday to reach the US Open round of 16, his first straight-sets win of a title defense that started after a four-month injury layoff, per AFP. The defending champion rolled through the third set after Wu kept recovering early breaks in the first two, then booked a fourth-round date with American Tommy Paul.

That is the statement Flushing Meadows wanted from the Spaniard. He is back in the second week, and the path now runs through a 20th seed who just survived five sets of his own.

Wu made him earn the first two

Wu recovered an early break in each of the opening two sets, then Alcaraz pocketed both with breaks in the final games, per AFP. After saving a pair of break points in the first game of the third, Alcaraz closed out the match in a hurry. "The way he plays is unbelievable, the rhythm he has on every shot -- forehand, backhand," Alcaraz said of Wu. "His balls skid a lot on the court and, for me, it's really difficult to control sometimes. But I think I stayed there. I played aggressive. I played smart in the toughest moments."

"I think my level is really good," he added. "I've got into the rhythm of the competition. I'm getting there." ABC and Reuters noted the win extended Alcaraz's match-winning streak at majors to 17 following last year's US Open title and his Australian Open win in February.

Tommy Paul next

Paul beat 15th-seeded Alexander Bublik 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-3 to reach the last 16, per AFP. That sets up an Alcaraz-Paul quarterfinal hunt that American fans will circle on the board. Alcaraz has already shown he can manage Wu's skidding pace after the long layoff. The next test is whether that rhythm holds when Paul brings his own hard-court game for a place in the quarters.

Friday was also a reminder that Alcaraz's title defense is still a rebuild as much as a coronation. Four months away is a long gap even for a two-time US Open champion, and AFP framed the win as him finding competition rhythm again rather than peak September form. Wu forced that honesty. The third set finally looked like the champion version.

Elsewhere on the men's side, Frances Tiafoe survived a five-set opener earlier in the fortnight, and Alcaraz's earlier Safiullin win is still on the Smacktok board. Friday's version was cleaner: three sets, a late break pattern, and a Round of 16 stamp with Paul waiting.