Carlos Alcaraz gave everyone a scare in the second round of the 2026 US Open, dropping the first set to unseeded Jaime Faria. But after a lengthy four-and-a-half-month layoff, the 23-year-old Spaniard quickly flipped the switch, cruising to a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 victory at Flushing Meadows. It’s his first tournament back since mid-April, and while the early stumble was real, so was the response.
That First Set Was a Wake-Up Call
Let’s be real, a slow start for Alcaraz was almost expected. He’s been on the shelf since mid-April, sidelined by a wrist injury that kept him out of both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon. That’s a brutal stretch for any athlete. While he breezed through the first round against Roman Safiullin in straight sets, Faria brought a totally different vibe. After trading easy holds, Faria turned up the heat. He battled through a 14-point game to hold his serve, then returned the favor by breaking Alcaraz in another 14-point marathon. That break gave Faria a 4-3 lead, and he capitalized, snatching the first set. For a minute, you had to wonder if the rust was too much to shake off.
Alcaraz Unleashed the Beast, Again
Any worries about Alcaraz’s form quickly vanished. After dropping that first set, he cranked things up to a level Faria just couldn’t handle. The second set? It was a straight-up bloodbath. Faria managed to win a paltry seven of his 21 service points. It was clear Alcaraz was back in business. He secured early breaks in both the third and fourth sets, carving out a comfortable path to victory. This win also kept an impressive streak alive for Alcaraz, who still hasn’t lost an ATP match to a player younger than him. Faria, for the record, is roughly three months his junior.
With each passing set, Alcaraz looked more and more like the star we know from New York. He’s got China’s Yibing Wu up next in the third round. Assuming Alcaraz handles business there, the real test comes in the fourth round. That’s where he’ll potentially face either No. 15 seed Alexander Bublik or No. 20 seed Tommy Paul. How his wrist holds up against that kind of competition, and if he can maintain this renewed intensity, will be the true measure of his comeback. Bring on the next round!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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