Carlos Alcaraz’s Form at the 2026 U.S. Open: Getting Better With Every Match

For Carlos Alcaraz, the opening week of the 2026 U.S. Open was never simply going to be about winning matches.

After nearly five months away from singles competition because of a wrist injury, the defending champion arrived in New York with perhaps more questions surrounding his physical condition and competitive sharpness than usual.

Three matches later, however, one thing has become increasingly clear:

Alcaraz appears to be getting better with every time he walks onto the court.

The 23-year-old Spaniard is into the fourth round after victories over Roman Safiullin, Jaime Faria and Yibing Wu, and his progression through the first week has looked very much like that of a player shaking off competitive rust and rapidly rediscovering his highest level.

His latest performance—a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Wu—was undoubtedly his most convincing of the tournament so far.

A Steady Start After a Long Layoff

Alcaraz’s opening-round match against Roman Safiullin represented his first singles appearance in 139 days.

There was every reason to wonder how quickly one of the game’s most explosive athletes could regain his timing after such an extended absence. Instead, Alcaraz produced a composed 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory, hitting more than 20 forehand winners while showing the creativity and court coverage that have become his trademarks. Perhaps most importantly, he emerged from the match pain-free.

It was not necessarily the spectacular, overwhelming version of Alcaraz that tennis fans have seen at his very best.

But it was efficient.

And, considering the circumstances, efficiency was probably exactly what he needed.

There is a major difference between being healthy enough to play tennis and being physically ready to win seven best-of-five-set matches over two weeks. Alcaraz passed the first test, but the question remained whether his body and his level would continue to improve—or deteriorate—as the tournament progressed.

So far, the answer has been encouraging.

The Faria Match Provided an Important Test

Alcaraz’s second-round match against Jaime Faria may ultimately prove to have been a useful early wake-up call.

After dropping the first set, Alcaraz responded emphatically, winning the next three sets 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.

The loss of the opening set was arguably the first real sign of competitive rust. But the response was much more important than the stumble itself.

Great players do not always play perfectly. What separates them is their ability to recognize when things are not working and make adjustments before a match gets away from them.

Alcaraz did exactly that.

Rather than allowing the frustration of the first set to linger, he quickly re-established control of the rallies and turned what could have become a difficult afternoon into a relatively comfortable four-set victory.

That match may have been the bridge between Alcaraz simply being back on the court and Alcaraz once again looking like a serious threat to win a Grand Slam title.

The Wu Victory Was His Best So Far

Against Yibing Wu in the third round, Alcaraz looked increasingly like himself.

The 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 scoreline was impressive, but the manner in which Alcaraz finished the match was perhaps even more significant.

Wu briefly challenged him early, but Alcaraz steadily took control with his movement, precision and ability to change the direction and pace of rallies. By the final set, the contest had become decidedly one-sided.

Afterward, Alcaraz admitted that his physical condition had exceeded even his own expectations.

> “I’m better than I thought, physically.”

That may be the most important quote of his entire tournament so far.

Alcaraz acknowledged that he expected the physical demands of returning from such a long layoff to be more difficult. Instead, he said he is recovering well and feels that his level is improving as he gets more competitive repetitions.

For a player returning from injury, that is precisely the direction you want to see.

Not merely surviving.

Improving.

The Forehand Is Becoming a Weapon Again

One of the strongest early indicators of Alcaraz’s form has been the increasing confidence in his forehand.

In the opening round against Safiullin, he was already striking the ball aggressively and producing a high number of forehand winners. As the tournament has progressed, however, he has appeared increasingly willing to dictate points rather than simply construct them safely.

That is an important distinction.

At his best, Alcaraz does not merely defend the court brilliantly. He makes opponents feel as if the court is shrinking.

His ability to transition from defense to offense, pull opponents wide with his forehand and then suddenly change direction is one of the qualities that makes him so difficult to prepare for.

Against Wu, those instincts appeared increasingly natural again.

The longer the tournament continues, the more significant that could become.

Still Some Room for Improvement

Despite the positive signs, Alcaraz has not been flawless.

The loss of the first set against Faria showed that he can still experience lapses, while his match against Wu included periods where he was visibly frustrated by errors.

That is hardly surprising for a player who had not played a singles match in nearly five months before arriving in New York.

The more relevant question is whether those lapses are becoming shorter and less significant.

So far, they appear to be.

Alcaraz has dropped only one set in his first three matches, and each match has provided additional evidence that his timing, confidence and physical conditioning are moving in the right direction.

Tommy Paul Will Be a More Revealing Test

The next step is considerably more difficult.

Alcaraz will face American Tommy Paul in the fourth round, and the match should provide a more meaningful indication of just how close the defending champion is to his absolute best.

Paul possesses the athleticism and baseline consistency necessary to test Alcaraz physically, and playing an American opponent at Arthur Ashe Stadium will bring an additional dimension to the challenge.

But there is also a potentially important advantage for Alcaraz: Paul is coming off a five-set battle against Alexander Bublik, while Alcaraz has managed to keep his workload comparatively manageable through the opening week.

For a player returning from injury, every unnecessary minute on court matters.

Alcaraz has been able to play his way into the tournament without being forced into a five-set marathon.

That could prove increasingly valuable.

The Verdict: Encouraging—and Improving

So how should Alcaraz’s form at the 2026 U.S. Open be assessed?

Very encouraging.

The first round showed that his wrist could withstand the demands of Grand Slam competition.

The second round showed that he could respond to adversity.

The third round showed a player beginning to find his rhythm—and perhaps beginning to forget that he had been away from the game at all.

Alcaraz has now won 17 consecutive Grand Slam matches and is trying to continue a remarkable run that has included last year’s U.S. Open title and the Australian Open championship earlier this season.

There are undoubtedly bigger tests ahead, beginning with Tommy Paul.

But through the first week in New York, the defending champion has answered the biggest question surrounding his return.

Carlos Alcaraz is healthy enough to compete.

And perhaps more significantly for the rest of the men’s draw:

He appears to be getting better.

That is a dangerous combination for anyone standing between Alcaraz and another U.S. Open championship.