Tennis-Slow start, strong finish as Alcaraz makes US Open third round

Defending champion ​Carlos Alcaraz's comeback from ​a long wrist injury ‌layoff gathered ​momentum on Wednesday as he came from behind to outclass Portugal's Jaime Faria 4-6 6-0 ‌6-3 6-2 and reach the third round of the U.S. Open.

The Spaniard returned to action after nearly five months out with a straightforward first-round ‌victory over Roman Safiullin on Monday, but found himself on the ‌back foot in his first evening session match this year. World number 72 Faria broke for a 4-3 lead and relied on his powerful serve to comfortably claim ⁠the first ​set, before ⁠piling the pressure on an error-prone Alcaraz at the beginning of the second to ⁠earn two more opportunities to break.

Alcaraz dialled up the intensity at just the ​right time, however, delighting the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd with a ⁠dazzling drop shot-lob combination before quickly drawing level with Faria at one set apiece. The ⁠seven-times ​Grand Slam champion produced more spectacular shot-making from the back in the third set, wearing down the Portuguese as he tightened ⁠his grip on the contest.

With Faria struggling on serve, the 23-year-old Alcaraz ⁠motored through the ⁠fourth set for a victory that earned him a meeting with China's Wu Yibing in the next ‌round.