The defending champions are finding their rhythm at Flushing Meadows, though their paths to the third round told vastly different stories.

Carlos Alcaraz needed four sets and a sluggish opening to finally overpower Portugal’s Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2, whilst Aryna Sabalenka required just 53 brutal minutes to demolish Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in a performance that announced she’s coming for that rare US Open three-peat.

The second-seeded Spaniard arrived in New York as something of an unknown quantity after a wrist injury forced a four-month layoff that robbed him of Roland Garros and Wimbledon following his seventh major title at the Australian Open in January.

Alcaraz finds his range

Alcaraz dispelled immediate fitness doubts with a straight-sets first-round victory over Roman Safiullin, but took considerable time finding his range against the big-serving Faria on Wednesday.

The Portuguese claimed the first break for a 4-3 lead when Alcaraz flubbed a forehand, then made the break stand up to pocket the opening set and send ripples of concern through the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.

What followed was vintage Alcaraz.

The second set was absolute carnage. Alcaraz stepped up his game whilst Faria folded completely under the pressure, the Spaniard racing through a bagel set without dropping a single game.

From there, the outcome was inevitable. Alcaraz claimed the third and fourth sets 6-3, 6-2 to advance with increasing authority as his timing and confidence returned.

“Tough match for me,” Alcaraz admitted afterwards, acknowledging that after failing to convert an early break point he briefly lost his composure.

“After that I was in a rush. I didn’t take time, I wasn’t patient and that obviously cost me the break. I tried to stay calm… think good things are going to happen again.”

Sabalenka’s ruthless efficiency

Whilst Alcaraz needed time to find his rhythm, Sabalenka was in destroy mode from the opening point.

The world number two delivered a ruthless 6-1, 6-1 demolition of 160th-ranked Iatcenko that lasted just 53 minutes and never remotely resembled a competitive tennis match.

Twenty-four winners. Baseline power that Iatcenko couldn’t handle. Effective touch at the net when opportunities presented. This was Sabalenka showcasing the form that’s delivered back-to-back US Open titles and has her chasing rare three-peat territory.

She dropped just four points on serve in the opening set and was broken only once.

“Happy with the level I played today, happy with the focus,” Sabalenka said, her assessment clinical and matter-of-fact. Job done. Next opponent, please.

She’ll face Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova for a place in the round of 16, another opportunity to demonstrate why she’s the tournament favourite despite lacking silverware since her Indian Wells-Miami double in March.

Navone backs up Djokovic heroics

Argentina’s Mariano Navone proved his epic five-set upset of Novak Djokovic wasn’t a fluke, backing it up with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over Italian Matteo Berrettini.

Beating Djokovic in the first round could have drained Navone emotionally and physically. Instead, he found reserves to overcome quality opposition and advance to the third round where bigger tests await.

Rain chaos continues

Outside the covered confines of Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums, rain again wreaked havoc on scheduling.

Sixth-seeded Australian Alex de Minaur finally got his campaign underway in a match postponed from Tuesday, but had to endure another mid-match rain delay before completing a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 first-round victory over Italian Andrea Guerrieri.

The biggest shock came via Chinese lucky loser Bu Yunchaokete, who stunned 12th-seeded Spaniard Rafael Jodar 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 in a humbling defeat for the 19-year-old rising star who’d won in Marrakech this year and reached finals in Washington and Montreal recently.

Jodar committed 37 unforced errors with just 15 winners – the kind of performance that gets you bounced from Grand Slams regardless of ranking or recent form.

The defending champions march on. The weather remains unpredictable. And Flushing Meadows continues delivering the drama that defines US Open tennis.