Carlos Alcaraz eyes Faria after Medvedev calls him a favorite
Carlos Alcaraz remains one of the US Open title favorites after a straight-sets first-round win and a clear next test against Portugal's Jaime Faria. Daniil Medvedev says the Spaniard's wrist recovery will decide how far he goes, while rising Spaniards Rafa Jódar and Dani Mérida add new pressure in New York.
Key Takeaways
- Carlos Alcaraz beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 and faces Jaime Faria next in an unprecedented matchup.
- Medvedev, already in the third round, called Alcaraz one of the great favorites despite wrist questions.
- AS flags Rafa Jódar (No. 13) and Dani Mérida (No. 39) as Spanish risers amid Sinner's absence and Djokovic's early exit.
- Faria needed five sets to beat Jenson Brooksby and drew a heated reaction from the Flushing Meadows crowd.
How did Carlos Alcaraz open his US Open campaign?
Alcaraz returned to Arthur Ashe seeking to put a right-wrist injury and time away behind him. According to Infobae, he produced a trademark display of forehands, drop shots, and fist pumps in a solid 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Safiullin.
The encouraging detail for longevity-minded fans: reporters noted no pain gestures and no anxious looks at the wrist. That physical reset sits at the heart of how elite athletes manage peak performance—themes we track on our Longevity & Biohacking hub.
Who stands between Alcaraz and a deeper run?
Next is Faria, a 23-year-old Portuguese player enjoying a career-best stretch. The pair have never met. Faria reached the Cincinnati round of 16, is pushing toward the top 60, and entered this Grand Slam with a direct main-draw berth for the first time.
His opener was chaotic: a nearly four-hour, five-set win over American Jenson Brooksby (6-3, 7-6(4), 4-6, 1-6, 6-2). Booed by home fans, Faria answered with insults, then celebrated with fingers in his ears. "I enjoy playing against North Americans in the United States," he said afterward.
Why does Medvedev still rate Carlos Alcaraz so highly?
After beating Sebastian Gorzny 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 to reach round three, Medvedev told reporters that whenever players like Alcaraz—or Novak Djokovic—are in the draw, they are favorites. "We have no idea how Carlos's wrist will feel, how his body will respond as the tournament goes on, but without a doubt he is one of the great favorites for the title," Medvedev said, per Punto de Break.
Diario AS, meanwhile, asks how far Spanish projects Jódar and Mérida can go with Sinner sidelined, Djokovic already out early, and lingering doubts around Alcaraz's form. The reign is under scrutiny—but the consensus from a proven rival still puts Carlos Alcaraz near the top of the New York shortlist.