Key quotes from the eighth day of the US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York on Sunday:
"Really happy to see where my level is right now. Beating Tommy Paul is always great feedback to see where you are. I think I returned pretty well. I saw really well the game today, what I had to do in every moment, using the right things in every moment."
-- Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz on how his game is improving after reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open, his first tournament after a four-month injury layoff.
"I've been really focused on the recovery with my team, with myself -- doing the right things off the court, trying to be healthy and in a good shape for the next round. Those days, if I'm practicing or not, I'm trying to be chill and focus on the next round. So golf this year isn't an option."
Alcaraz on how he's spending his downtime during the US Open.
"I feel like he was playing fast, hitting his forehand well. It felt like he kind of just out-played me, was playing on a different level than me."
-- American Tommy Paul after falling to Alcaraz in the fourth round of the US Open.
"Special tennis. I think the level that he's been playing at is really, really impressive. To not play for five months then do what he's done so far this tournament has been superhuman."
-- American Ben Shelton on what it will take to beat Alcaraz in their quarter-final match.
"I feel like once the new Grand Slam started, I kind of started all over as well, like the previous one never happened. I know it sounds weird or maybe a little bit bad or ungrateful, but it's the truth."
-- Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, on starting the US Open with a clean slate.
"Actually, when I feel such moments, I'm just trying to not to think about that and bringing my focus back into the game, because I feel like the moment you get stuck in that feeling, it can actually destroy you. The moment I feel like nothing can go wrong I'm like, 'OK, I'm bringing myself back into the game.'"
-- Two time defending US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka on not trusting the feeling of being "in the zone".
"When I looked at the stats and I was talking to my coach, we were pretty dead even for a majority of the match. Maybe towards the end, there was a few points, but for the majority of the match we were right here. It's not the result I want, but that's where I need to be."
-- American Taylor Townsend after falling to top-ranked Sabalenka in two entertaining sets.
"At this moment I guess I'm doubting myself a little bit, and that's the case of today's match. We can talk about Frances, we can talk about me, but the reality is I lost three sets to love, and I know I can play 10 times better than I did today. Was it a bad match, no, but I can play so much better. If I want to win Grand Slams, I need to play better."
-- Former world number one Daniil Medvedev, five years removed from his only Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open, after falling to Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round.
