US Open 2026: Carlos Alcaraz comes back from a set down to beat Jaime Faria

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Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame a sluggish 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.

The Spanish star, making his competitive comeback after sustaining a right wrist injury back in April, lost the first set before returning to his best and winning the next three with relative ease.

World No. 72 Faria seized early momentum by winning a crucial break at 3-3, safely serving out the remainder of the set to claim the lead at 6-4.

In response, the reigning champion mounted an impressive comeback in the second set. After saving a break point on his first service game, Alcaraz won eight consecutive games, breaking Faria’s serve with a commanding forehand passing shot to take the second set 6-0 in just 33 minutes.

Carlos Alcaraz aiming for back-to-back US Open triumphs

Alcaraz maintained his authority through the third and fourth sets, striking the ball cleanly while displaying growing threat on court. He wrapped up the match in two hours and 40 minutes, extending his undefeated 9-0 run across Grand Slam events in 2026.

The 23-year-old is attempting to become the first male player to successfully retain the US Open singles crown since Roger Federer, who won five straight titles in New York between 2004 and 2008.

Already a two-time US Open champion, Alcaraz secured his breakthrough major title in Flushing Meadows in 2022 before reclaiming the crown in 2025. Earlier this season, he became the youngest player to win a Career Grand Slam at age 22.

The victory also marks Alcaraz’s 26th main-draw win at Flushing Meadows, representing his highest match-win total across all four major championships.

Up next, Alcaraz will square off against China’s Wu Yibing, who dispatched Australian James Duckworth 7-5, 6-3, 6-1. The Spaniard holds a 1-0 advantage in their head-to-head record, having previously met in Shanghai in 2024.

With Novak Djokovic already out of the tournament, Alcaraz will be the clear favourite to retain his US Open crown despite the presence of top seed and recent Roland Garros winner  Alexander Zverev in the draw.

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