Carlos Alcaraz regains his form and advances to the third round of the US Open
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz overcame an adverse start to seal his qualification for the third round of the US Open. Despite dropping his first set in the New York tournament since the 2024 edition, the world number 3 showed that his physical condition is optimal after overcoming the wrist injury that kept him away from the courts for five months.
Alcaraz prevailed against the Portuguese Jaime Faria with partials of 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 and 6-2, in a match that lasted two hours and 40 minutes. This victory represents an important step for the Murcian, who seeks to consolidate his level on the hard surface of New York.
The turning point
The match started uphill for the Spaniard, who appeared frustrated with his serve during the first set. Faria took advantage of the opportunity to take the lead, supported by a powerful serve and high effectiveness. However, the landscape changed drastically at the start of the second set. Alcaraz managed to save two crucial break points that prevented the Portuguese player from pulling away on the scoreboard, starting a dominant streak from that point on.
The Murcian strung together five consecutive breaks between the second and third sets, taking advantage of Faria’s inconsistency, who ended up accumulating 38 unforced errors and 11 double faults. Alcaraz closed the match with 43 winners and a solid 80% effectiveness on his net approaches.
I had a break point with a forehand that was quite comfortable for me, but I missed it. From then on, I started to rush. After that, I tried to stay focused, stay calm, and think that good things were going to happen again.
Carlos AlcarazNext challenge and physical balance
After this victory, Alcaraz positively assessed having played a four-set match, as this allowed him to evaluate his wrist’s response after the long period of inactivity that began last April. The Spaniard acknowledged that, although he wanted to close the match quickly, the extra wear and tear helps him gain confidence for upcoming commitments.
In the next stage of the tournament, Alcaraz will face the Chinese player Yibing Wu, who reached the third round after defeating the Australian James Duckworth. The head-to-head record favors the Spaniard, who already defeated Wu at the 2024 Shanghai Masters 1000.
Tournament details
- Third-round opponent: Yibing Wu (China).
- Key statistics: 43 winners and 72% of points won on first serve.
- Physical condition: Overcame the wrist injury suffered in Barcelona.
Alcaraz continues his journey in New York, a stage where he has experienced memorable moments and where he hopes to regain absolute prominence on the professional tennis circuit.
