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NEW YORK - Carlos Alcaraz continued his impressive return from injury at the US Open, powering into the fourth round with a commanding victory over China’s Wu Yibing, while top seed Aryna Sabalenka overcame an unusual cannabis-smoke distraction to keep her title defence on course. Defending champion Alcaraz produced another assured performance on the main showcourt, defeating Wu 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to maintain his pursuit of a third US Open crown. The Spaniard, returning after more than four months out with a wrist injury, has looked increasingly comfortable with every match. Alcaraz will next face American 20th seed Tommy Paul, who defeated Alexander Bublik in five sets. The seven-time Grand Slam champion said he had been surprised by how well his body was recovering between matches after such a lengthy absence. Sabalenka also advanced to the fourth round, beating Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4 without facing a break point. Her biggest challenge, however, came from an unexpected source when the strong smell of cannabis drifted into Louis Armstrong Stadium during the morning session. The Belarusian briefly stopped play and alerted the chair umpire, saying the smell was making it difficult to compete at her best. Recreational cannabis is legal in New York, although smoking is prohibited within the US Open grounds. Sabalenka will meet American Taylor Townsend next after Townsend defeated Diana Shnaider in three sets. Former champion Daniil Medvedev strengthened his title credentials with a clinical 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over France’s Arthur Rinderknech. Stefanos Tsitsipas also advanced, defeating 18th seed Jiri Lehecka 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-1 as his resurgence continued. American third seed Jessica Pegula recovered from a poor start to beat Leylah Fernandez 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, while Emma Navarro produced one of the day’s notable upsets by eliminating seventh seed Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5. Home hopes were further boosted by Ben Shelton, who defeated Denis Shapovalov in four sets. The evening also featured the emotional return of Serena and Venus Williams, but the two-time US Open doubles champions fell to Maya Joint and Chan Hao-ching in a deciding-set tiebreak.