NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz was already in the final by the time he dropped a set last year in the U.S. Open.
When it happened in his second match this year, Alcaraz tried to look at the positives. After missing four months with a right wrist injury, the extra work might help.
“I wanted to be quick, to be honest. I’m not going to lie,” Alcaraz said. “But at the end, I realized that just playing four sets, 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.”
The defending champion rebounded from a quick deficit by winning eight straight games and beat Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday night.
The No. 2-seeded Alcaraz dropped his serve midway through the first set but soon was back to playing long stretches of flawless tennis.
“After that I just tried to be focused, tried to stay calm and I’m thinking that good things are going to happen again,” Alcaraz said.
He didn’t drop a set last year until the final against Jannik Sinner, becoming the first man since Roger Federer in 2015 to go through his first six matches without doing so. He then beat Sinner in four sets for his second U.S. Open title.
The 23-year-old Alcaraz then picked up his seventh major title at this year’s Australian Open and is on a 16-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments.
But after missing the French Open and Wimbledon during his absence, even Alcaraz said he didn’t know what to expect in Flushing Meadows, where he won his first major title in 2022 at 19.
Daniil Medvedev, the U.S. Open champion the year before that, said a player of Alcaraz’s caliber is always a top contender any time he is in the field.
“We have no idea how Carlos’ wrist is going to feel, body is going to feel going later into the tournament, but he’s definitely a top favorite for the title,” Medvedev said.
Faria, three months younger than Alcaraz, broke for a 4-3 lead in the first set and used a powerful serve to stay ahead. Alcaraz felt after getting broken that he was rushing too much.
“After that I just wanted to play short points, which was a mistake for me,” he said. “I just needed to play patient, to play long rallies, three, four, five shots, and then go for it.”
Alcaraz stressed again that he is no longer in pain and has been hitting his forehand without any restrictions in practice.
“I know once I step on the court, I’ve just got to go for it every time. I’ve got to feel normal,” Alcaraz said. “I have to hit like I was hitting before the injury, and let’s see what happens after that.
“I’m just feeling great,” he added. “There is no reason to be afraid and not hitting normal.”
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