World · Singapore Bureau
Alcaraz powers through to US Open third round after slow start
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame a sluggish opening set to defeat Portugal's Jaime Faria and advance at Flushing Meadows. The Spaniard's comeback bid from a wrist injury layoff gained momentum as he dominated the latter stages of the match.
LSN Singapore ·
NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz's return to competitive tennis showed encouraging signs on Wednesday as the defending US Open champion progressed to the third round with a 4-6 6-0 6-3 6-2 victory over Portugal's Jaime Faria.
Alcaraz's bid to reclaim his title at Flushing Meadows began inauspiciously, with the Spanish top seed losing the opening set to his unseeded opponent. However, the 21-year-old shifted gears decisively from the second set onwards, reeling off three consecutive sets without conceding more than three games in any frame.
The performance underscored Alcaraz's determination to shake off the effects of a prolonged wrist injury that has sidelined him from much of the season. His ability to find his rhythm as the match progressed suggests the former world number one is regaining the form that carried him to US Open glory in 2022.
Alcaraz will face another examination in the third round as he targets a deeper run in New York. The tournament continues to offer him an opportunity to demonstrate his readiness for a full return to the upper echelons of professional tennis.