Carlos Alcaraz overcomes Tommy Paul in straight sets to reach Australian Open quarter-finals amid medical delay

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz overcame a determined Tommy Paul in straight sets on Sunday(January 25), advancing to the Australian Open quarter-finals without dropping a set and keeping his career Grand Slam pursuit on track.

The first-set tiebreak was briefly halted due to a medical emergency involving an elderly woman in the stands. After a 14-minute delay, during which chair umpire Marija Cicak reassured the crowd, play resumed, and Alcaraz went on to secure the win.

Carlos Alcaraz overcame a slow start to defeat 19th seed Tommy Paul 7-6 (6), 6-4, 7-5 and reach the Australian Open quarter-finals. Having won the other three Grand Slams twice, Alcaraz now aims to reach the Australian Open semi-finals for the first time.


The Australian Open is one of tennis’s four Grand Slam tournaments, held annually in Melbourne each January. It features the world’s top players competing on hard courts for the season’s first major title.

Alcaraz faced a tough challenge, having lost twice to Paul in seven meetings over the past four years. Alcaraz fell behind early, struggling to break free from an impressive Paul, whose strong serve and sharp defense kept the match tightly contested.

Paul matched Alcaraz for over an hour in the opening set but faltered at key moments, giving it away with a crucial double fault.

Alcaraz hit 70 percent of first serves, winning 79 percent of those points, and claimed 68 percent of points on his second serve, without a single double fault.