US Open 2026 Day 8 Preview: Alcaraz Faces Paul as Shelton, Tsitsipas and Sabalenka Headline Sunday Showdowns
The second week of the 2026 US Open officially arrives on Sunday, September 6, and the margins for error are about to become considerably smaller.
Round of 16 action begins at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, American stars Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton and Taylor Townsend, former finalist Aryna Sabalenka, and resurgent Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas all fighting for places in the quarterfinals.
Sunday’s schedule is highlighted by three fascinating matchups: Carlos Alcaraz vs. Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Aryna Sabalenka vs. Taylor Townsend.
Each presents a different challenge.
Alcaraz must deal with one of the most athletic and disruptive players remaining in the men’s draw. Shelton will attempt to overpower a rejuvenated Tsitsipas in their first career meeting, while Townsend will try to prevent Sabalenka from dictating one of the most physical matchups of the women’s fourth round.
With the championship entering its decisive stages, here is our US Open Day 8 preview for Sunday, September 6, 2026.
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Tommy Paul: Defending Champion Faces His First Major Test
Carlos Alcaraz has arrived in the second week exactly where he wanted to be.
The defending US Open champion booked his place in the fourth round with a straight-sets victory over China’s Wu Yibing, continuing an impressive return after the wrist injury that kept him away from competition for four months.
Now comes a considerably more dangerous opponent.
Tommy Paul earned his opportunity against Alcaraz by surviving a five-set battle with Alexander Bublik, and the American possesses precisely the type of game that can make the Spaniard uncomfortable.
Paul is quick enough to defend against Alcaraz’s explosive groundstrokes, willing to redirect pace and capable of turning defence into attack almost instantly. His athleticism also makes it difficult for Alcaraz to finish points with the drop shot and short-angle combinations that overwhelm so many opponents.
Their history makes Sunday’s encounter even more interesting.
Alcaraz leads their head-to-head series 3-2, but Paul won their first two meetings in Canada in 2022 and 2023. Since then, Alcaraz has taken control of the rivalry, defeating the American at the 2024 Olympics, the 2025 French Open and again at the 2026 Australian Open.
Their most recent encounter came in Melbourne in January, where Alcaraz prevailed 7-6(6), 6-4, 7-5.
What Tommy Paul Must Do to Trouble Alcaraz
Paul cannot allow this match to become entirely about Alcaraz’s shotmaking.
The American needs to serve efficiently, protect his second serve and take the ball early enough to prevent Alcaraz from establishing control from the baseline.
Paul’s backhand down the line could be particularly important. If he can change direction quickly and force Alcaraz to defend rather than attack, he can prevent the Spaniard from constantly setting up his forehand.
He also needs to be willing to come forward.
Few players are going to defeat Alcaraz by simply absorbing his offence for three or four hours. Paul must occasionally take time away, attack short balls and make the defending champion hit passing shots under pressure.
Why Alcaraz Remains the Favourite
The biggest difference may ultimately be Alcaraz’s ability to manufacture offence from virtually anywhere on the court.
He can overpower Paul from the baseline, drag him forward with the drop shot, attack the net or simply outlast him in extended rallies.
Paul has enough speed to stay with him. The question is whether he can consistently do something productive once he gets there.
If Alcaraz serves well and controls the centre of the court with his forehand, the defending champion should have too many ways to win points.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz in four sets.
Ben Shelton vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas: Power Meets Experience
Few matches on Sunday’s schedule promise more explosive tennis than Ben Shelton vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Shelton advanced to the Round of 16 with a four-set victory over Canadian Denis Shapovalov, continuing another strong run in front of his home crowd.
Tsitsipas, meanwhile, has produced one of the more intriguing stories of the tournament.
The Greek defeated Jiri Lehecka to reach the fourth round of the US Open for the first time in his career, a significant breakthrough at the one Grand Slam where sustained success has traditionally eluded him.
Now he faces perhaps his most difficult challenge of the tournament.
Remarkably, Shelton and Tsitsipas have never previously played each other at tour level, making their first meeting a Grand Slam fourth-round showdown in New York.
Shelton’s Serve Could Decide the Match
There aren’t many players in tennis capable of changing the complexion of a match with one shot as quickly as Shelton.
His left-handed serve will be central to Sunday’s contest.
The American can consistently push opponents several feet behind the baseline with his first delivery, creating opportunities to attack the next ball with his forehand. Against Tsitsipas’ one-handed backhand, the wide left-handed serve on the ad court becomes particularly dangerous.
Shelton should look to repeatedly stretch Tsitsipas toward that wing before attacking the open court.
But serving big alone won’t be enough.
Tsitsipas remains one of the better attacking players in men’s tennis when he has time to set his feet. His forehand can dictate rallies, and his willingness to transition forward gives him another way of shortening points.
Tsitsipas Needs to Protect His Backhand
The tactical blueprint for Shelton will hardly be a secret.
Attack the Tsitsipas backhand.
The Greek therefore needs to prevent Shelton from repeatedly pinning him into that corner. That means returning aggressively when possible, using the backhand slice to change the height of the ball and looking for opportunities to run around the backhand and dictate with his forehand.
Tsitsipas also has considerably more experience in the latter stages of Grand Slam tournaments.
If he can extend the match and force Shelton to repeatedly execute under pressure, that experience could become increasingly important.
But with an American crowd behind him and a serve capable of taking the racquet out of an opponent’s hands, Shelton may have the slightly higher ceiling on this surface.
Prediction: Ben Shelton in five sets.
Aryna Sabalenka vs. Taylor Townsend: Can the American Disrupt the World No. 1?
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka continues her pursuit of another US Open crown against American left-hander Taylor Townsend.
Sabalenka moved into the fourth round by defeating Kamilla Rakhimova, once again demonstrating the controlled aggression that has made her such a formidable force on hard courts.
Townsend presents a very different challenge.
The American has long possessed one of the most unconventional games in women’s tennis. She is comfortable attacking the net, changing spins and taking opponents away from the predictable baseline patterns that dominate the modern game.
Against Sabalenka, variety isn’t simply an option.
It may be essential.
Townsend Must Make Sabalenka Uncomfortable
Trying to trade power from the baseline with Sabalenka for two hours is unlikely to produce the result Townsend wants.
Instead, she needs to make the match messy.
That means using her left-handed serve to create different angles, mixing in slice, attacking the net and forcing Sabalenka to hit uncomfortable passing shots rather than allowing her to settle into a rhythm from the back of the court.
Townsend’s doubles instincts could become a genuine weapon.
If she can repeatedly get forward behind quality approaches, she may be able to shorten rallies and prevent Sabalenka from establishing the punishing baseline patterns that have carried her through the tournament.
Sabalenka’s Return Will Be Critical
The danger for Townsend is that Sabalenka is one of the best players in women’s tennis at immediately punishing anything short.
If Townsend’s approaches aren’t precise, Sabalenka will have passing-shot opportunities. If her second serve sits up, Sabalenka can attack it.
The defending champion doesn’t necessarily need to play faster. She needs to play cleanly.
If Sabalenka maintains depth through the middle of the court and makes Townsend volley from difficult positions, she can gradually take away the American’s attacking options.
This will also be the first career meeting between Sabalenka and Townsend, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already intriguing matchup.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka in two competitive sets.
US Open 2026 Day 8: Three Matches That Could Define the Second Week
Sunday represents an important transition point at the 2026 US Open.
The opening rounds are over.
The contenders have emerged.
Now the tournament becomes about surviving elite opposition.
For Carlos Alcaraz, the challenge is maintaining his title defence against an opponent in Tommy Paul who has troubled him before.
For Ben Shelton, Sunday’s encounter represents another opportunity to make a deep run at his home Grand Slam, but Tsitsipas arrives with renewed confidence after finally breaking through to the second week in New York.
And for Aryna Sabalenka, the objective remains unchanged: impose her power, control the baseline and continue moving toward another championship.
Townsend will have other ideas.
The American crowd could play a significant role throughout the day, particularly with Paul, Shelton and Townsend all attempting to knock out established Grand Slam contenders.
US Open Day 8 Featured Matches — Sunday, September 6, 2026
Men’s Singles – Round of 16
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Tommy Paul
Men’s Singles – Round of 16
Ben Shelton vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas
Women’s Singles – Round of 16
Aryna Sabalenka vs. Taylor Townsend
The official US Open tournament schedule confirms that Sunday, September 6 features men’s and women’s Round of 16 action, with the day session beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET and the evening session beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET. Arthur Ashe Stadium matches are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. during the day session.
Who Will Reach the US Open Quarterfinals?
Alcaraz remains one of the players to beat, but Paul represents the type of opponent capable of making the defending champion work for every inch of the court.
Shelton and Tsitsipas could deliver Sunday’s most unpredictable contest, particularly if the American’s serve is firing and the match stretches deep into a fourth or fifth set.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, will be expected to advance, but Townsend’s willingness to attack and change the geometry of the court makes this far from a routine fourth-round assignment.
By Sunday night, the 2026 US Open quarterfinal picture will be considerably clearer.
And with the defending champions, home favourites and former Grand Slam finalists all involved, Day 8 could be one of the most compelling days of the tournament so far.
