Carlos Alcaraz lost the first set of his second-round 2026 US Open match against Jaime Faria on Wednesday night, Sept. 2, 2026, then won three sets in a row to close out a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 victory and move into the third round.
Key facts
- Final score: Alcaraz won 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.
- Result: Advances to the third round.
- Streak coming in: a 16-match Grand Slam winning streak, reported as the longest run of his career, and a 29-1 record over his last 30 major matches.
- Seeding: the tournament’s No. 2 seed.
- Injury return: his first tournament back since a right wrist injury in mid-April 2026 that had kept him out about four months.
How the comeback unfolded
Faria took the opening set, then Alcaraz turned the match around, winning eight consecutive games at one stretch — the entire 6-0 second set, plus the first two games of the third. He then pulled away to close out the third and fourth sets.
Afterward, Alcaraz pointed to a first-set break point on “a pretty easy forehand for me that I missed,” saying, “I was in a rush.” Asked how he adjusted as the match went on, he explained: “After that I just wanted to play short points, which was a mistake for me. I just needed to play patient, to play long rallies, three, four, five shots, and then go for it.”
Coming into the tournament
Alcaraz was the tournament’s defending champion.
The win also came in Alcaraz’s first tournament back since a right wrist injury in mid-April 2026 that had kept him out of competition for about four months. Speaking afterward about his body, Alcaraz said he is “no longer in pain” and has been hitting his forehand “without any restrictions” in practice. “I’m just feeling great,” he said. “There is no reason to be afraid and not hitting normal.” He added that playing a full four sets against Faria was useful preparation: “It was really good for me to test everything physically, to test my body, how I feel, and tomorrow how I’m going to feel after this match.”