Two-time defending champ Aryna Sabalenka beats Taylor Townsend to reach the US Open quarterfinals

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Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, returns the ball to Taylor Townsend, of the United States, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts as she competes against Taylor Townsend, of the United States, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) — Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, returns the ball to Taylor Townsend, of the United States, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

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11:59 AM on Sunday, September 6

By STEPHEN WHYNO

NEW YORK (AP) — Solving some early struggles to hold serve, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka overpowered Taylor Townsend on Sunday to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.

Townsend broke Sabalenka three times in the two-time defending champion's first four service games as she looked to spring the upset. Sabalenka found a groove, regained her confidence and won 6-4, 6-3.

“Basically, I was just trying to stay focused on myself and play not only point by point but ball by ball,” Sabalenka said. “I’m happy that I was able to turn it around in that second set.”

This was the first meeting between Sabalenka and Townsend, who gave her opponent fits in the first set but struggled to find her own rhythm. Sabalenka next faces either Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova or Marta Kostyuk for a spot in the semifinals.

"I’m happy to be through this really tough opponent," Sabalenka said. “What an incredible player she is approaching the net. What a great returner: moving well, very brave. You could see how focused she was. It was really challenging playing her."

Carlos Alcaraz looks to move closer to his title defense

Playing his first tournament following a four-month absence because of a wrist injury, men's second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz looks to take his next step toward defending his title when he faces No. 20 Tommy Paul in the second match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz is on a 17-match Grand Slam winning streak and has dropped just one set through three rounds at the U.S. Open. He is 12-0 against U.S. men at majors.

Americans are making runs at the US Open

Townsend and Paul were among the 10 Americans to reach the men’s and women’s round of 16. That is the most in the fourth round at any Grand Slam in nearly a quarter-century, dating to the 2002 U.S. Open, when there were 11.

The five U.S. men — Paul, Ben Shelton, Learner Tien, Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen — are the most at a major since eight in 1995 at Flushing Meadows.

Tien played into early Sunday to beat Jakub Mensik in a five-set gem between a pair of emerging stars. At 20, Tien is the youngest American man in the U.S. Open fourth round since Andy Roddick in 2002.

Also in action Sunday

Shelton, the No. 8 seed, faces Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday night at Ashe, followed by fellow American Emma Navarro against Anna Kalinskaya. Other fourth-round matches include Jessica Pegula versus Sorana Cirstea, Tiafoe versus Daniil Medvedev and Noskova vs. Kostyuk.

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See AP’s full tennis coverage here