The second seed has not dropped a set in four matches at Flushing Meadows. The result extended his Grand Slam winning streak to 18 matches and kept him on course to defend the title he won last year.
Paul, the 20th seed, produced one of the shots of the match early in the first set — a 161 km/h forehand winner around the net that brought the crowd to its feet. Alcaraz still took the set. He then broke early in the second and closed it out after an exchange of breaks.
The 23-year-old Spaniard, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, has returned to New York after nearly five months out with a right wrist injury. He said afterwards he had tried to play his own game throughout.
“I think I just played my game,” Alcaraz said. “I tried to play to my style. Tommy’s such a talented player, and his shots are pretty dangerous, and it’s difficult to control the ball when it comes to you. I was ready for a battle.”
“I was trying to be aggressive all the time … I did well to put pressure on his return, which helped me stay calm and to think clearly. I was really happy with the performance.”
Alcaraz briefly lost rhythm late in the third set but recovered to close out the match with another powerful forehand. He has now reached the quarter-finals in five of his six US Open appearances.
His next opponent will be either American Ben Shelton or Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Alcaraz said the venue continues to bring the best out of him.
“It shows how special this place is to me; I’m just enjoying myself on court here. It doesn’t matter that I was out for over four months. Every time I come here, I play well.”
The win keeps the Spaniard among the favourites for a second successive title in New York. Paul, a consistent Grand Slam performer, was unable to turn home support into a set. Alcaraz moves on without having been extended beyond three sets so far in the tournament.