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

By Shrivathsa Sridhar

NEW YORK, Sept 2 (Reuters) – 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.

“It was a tough match. I was feeling great, but I was in a rush and I didn’t take time and it cost me a break (in the first set),” Alcaraz said.

“Against someone like Jaime, who serves at 140-141 miles per hour every time, you have to try and be focused and calm. I told myself good things are going to happen. I just had to stay there all the time.”

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 day session compared to the night session here is a totally different game,” Alcaraz said.

“The conditions here are different and obviously the crowd is super electric here in the night session. I love playing in front of such a great atmosphere, such great people.

“I could feel the difference.”

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.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in New York; Editing by Peter Rutherford)