Defending US Open men’s singles champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame a sluggish opening set to defeat Portugal’s Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 at Flushing Meadows, maintaining his perfect 9-0 record at Grand Slam tournaments in 2026.
Playing in his first competitive tournament since recovering from a right wrist injury sustained in April, the 23-year-old Spaniard dropped the opening set before mounting an emphatic response. Alcaraz reeled off eight consecutive games from the second set onward, taking control of the match in two hours and 40 minutes. The victory marked Alcaraz’s 26th main-draw win at the US Open as he continues his bid to become the first male player to successfully defend the title since Roger Federer in 2008.
According to Asian News International (ANI), Alcaraz faces China’s Wu Yibing next in the third round.