Tommy Paul secures spot in Australian Open quarter-finals in just 87 minutes

Tommy Paul (27) advanced to his third Grand Slam quarter-final with an impressive victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (25) at the Australian Open on Sunday, losing only three games in the process.

The American, seeded 12th, demonstrated superior skill against the 66th-ranked Spaniard on a sweltering day in Melbourne, winning decisively with a score of 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 on Margaret Court Arena.

This year's opening Grand Slam has proven to be Paul's most successful event to date, boasting a 15-5 win-loss record across six tournaments.

His best performance at a Grand Slam occurred in Melbourne, where he reached the semi-finals in 2023, becoming the first American man to achieve this feat since Andy Roddick in 2009. Notably, he also defeated Davidovich Fokina during that tournament before being eliminated by Novak Djokovic.

"I am always delighted to return to Australia and reach the quarter-finals once again. It is truly remarkable," stated Paul, who secured three titles in 2024 at Dallas, Queen's, and Stockholm.

"This court is where I achieved my first quarter-final, and now I have reached my second one here in Australia on this very court.

I have wonderful memories associated with this venue."

Davidovich Fokina, who had recently endured two exhausting five-set matches, including a comeback from two sets down in his third-round encounter, struggled in the initial set.

Paul broke serve immediately and won 87 percent of his first serves, leaving the Spaniard with little opportunity as he took the first set in just 22 minutes.

During the changeover, Davidovich Fokina required a medical timeout for what seemed to be a right hip issue and was unable to regain his form.

Paul broke serve twice to lead 4-0 in the second set, and the third set followed a similar pattern, culminating in a victory in just 1 hour and 27 minutes.

"It is not easy to achieve this once, let alone twice in succession," he remarked regarding the Spaniard's challenging matches.

"He certainly deserves applause and respect from me for his perseverance today."