New York [US], September 3 : Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame a slow start to defeat Portugal's Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 and advanced to the third round of the US Open.
Alcaraz, playing his first tournament since suffering a right wrist injury in April, needed time to find his rhythm but quickly turned the match around after dropping the opening set.
Faria, ranked 72nd in the world, made a strong start and secured the first break at 3-3 before holding on to take the opening set 6-4.
The Spaniard responded emphatically in the second set, saving a break point in his opening service game before winning eight games in a row. Alcaraz broke Faria with a forehand pass and went on to take the second set 6-0 in just 33 minutes.
Alcaraz continued to dominate in the third and fourth sets, striking the ball cleanly and playing with increasing confidence. He sealed the victory after two hours and 40 minutes to maintain his perfect 9-0 record at the Grand Slam tournaments in 2026.
The 23-year-old is bidding to become the first player since Roger Federer to successfully defend the US Open men's singles title. Federer won the tournament five consecutive times from 2004 to 2008.
Alcaraz, a two-time US Open champion, won his first Grand Slam title in New York in 2022 before lifting the trophy again in 2025. Earlier this year, he became the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam at the age of 22.
The victory was also Alcaraz's 26th main-draw win at the US Open, his highest tally at any of the four Grand Slam tournaments.
Alcaraz will next face China's Wu Yibing, who defeated Australia's James Duckworth 7-5, 6-3, 6-1. The Spaniard leads Wu 1-0 in their head-to-head record, with their only meeting coming in Shanghai in 2024.