Alcaraz, Sabalenka advance at US Open

Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka eased into the third round of the US Open on Wednesday night as defending champions, while American hopefuls Ben Shelton, Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro and Frances Tiafoe all progressed after a rain-soaked Tuesday forced organizers to clear a backlog of delayed matches.

Alcaraz, returning from a wrist injury, overcame Portugal’s Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium, sending a message that his title defense is back on track. The 21-year-old Spaniard spent two hours and 40 minutes on court, testing his physical condition after early concerns about his fitness. “I wanted to be quick, but I realized I was just playing four sets,” he said. Sabalenka, the world No. 1, showed no such rust, crushing Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in a dominant display before bristling at a reporter’s question about her pre-tournament socializing. “You guys are, like, a joke,” she snapped, defending her off-court appearances as brand activities rather than partying.

Defending champion Daniil Medvedev also advanced despite an unusual interruption—two birds landing on the net mid-match—beating U.S. wildcard Sebastian Gorzny 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 on Louis Armstrong Stadium. The American men’s hopes flickered briefly when eighth seed Shelton needed all four sets to edge Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5, but the home crowd’s energy carried him through. Pegula, the 2024 runner-up, was more clinical, crushing Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1 in 56 minutes and setting up a clash with 2021 finalist Leylah Fernandez. Navarro and Tiafoe also won, though 2017 champ Sloane Stephens fell to 11th seed Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 7-5, ending one of the tournament’s early American stories.

The field is now clearing as the tournament ramps up, with Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and Czech finalist Karolina Muchova also advancing smoothly. With just 14 matches left to complete from Tuesday’s washout, organizers are pushing to return to normalcy. For the favorites, the third round brings stiffer tests, but for now, Alcaraz and Sabalenka have shown they’re ready to defend their crowns.