Carlos Alcaraz Beats Jaime Faria to Reach US Open Third Round

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from an early setback to defeat Portugal’s Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 and reach the third round of the US Open on Wednesday.

Alcaraz, returning to action in New York after a four-month layoff caused by a wrist injury, needed two hours and 40 minutes to overcome the 72nd-ranked Faria at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory sends the Spaniard into a third-round meeting with China’s Wu Yibing as he continues his title defence.

Faria takes advantage after Alcaraz misses chance

Alcaraz made the stronger start to the opening set and had a break-point opportunity that would have put him 4-2 ahead. He did not convert it, however, and Faria soon levelled the set at 3-3 before breaking Alcaraz in the following game to move 4-3 in front.

Faria maintained that advantage to take the first set 6-4, putting the defending champion under pressure after an encouraging start had slipped away. Alcaraz later identified the missed chance at 4-2 as an important moment in the set.

“Tough match for me. Obviously the first set, I was feeling great, I had break point, I missed it,” Alcaraz said. “After that I was in a rush. I did’t take time, I wasn’t patient and that obviously cost me the break.”

Alcaraz also pointed to the challenge posed by Faria’s serve, which he said reached 140 and 141 mph. “Against someone like Jaime, he’s serving 140, 141 (mph), it’s very difficult,” he said. “I tried to stay calm … think good things are going to happen again.”

Alcaraz responds with a dominant second set

The response from Alcaraz was immediate. He saved two break points in the opening game of the second set before holding serve, and the remainder of the set went decisively in his favour. Faria was broken three times as Alcaraz levelled the match with a 6-0 set.

Faria had impressed in the opener, but his serve faltered in the second set while Alcaraz raised the tempo and found more zip in his groundstrokes. After surviving those two early break points, Alcaraz did not allow Faria another route back into the set and rapidly shifted the match momentum.

The Spaniard carried that momentum into the third set. He broke Faria to take a 2-0 lead, but Faria responded by breaking Alcaraz to reduce the deficit to 2-1. The recovery was brief: Alcaraz broke again in the next game to establish a 3-1 advantage.

Neither player dropped serve after that point in the third set, allowing Alcaraz to close it out 6-3 and move within one set of the third round. Having lost the opener, he had now won two consecutive sets and taken control of the contest.

Defending champion closes out four-set win

Alcaraz continued his surge in the fourth set, moving a double break ahead on the way to a 5-1 lead. He then served out the match to complete a 6-2 set and secure the four-set victory.

The result is significant for Alcaraz as he progresses through the US Open following his lengthy absence with a wrist injury. Faria tested him in the opening set and briefly interrupted his progress in the third, but Alcaraz’s 6-0 second set and two breaks in the fourth ensured that the defending champion advanced.

Alcaraz will next play Wu Yibing in the third round, with his US Open title defence continuing after a comeback win over Faria at Arthur Ashe Stadium.