Alcaraz set to continue US Open title defence as Sabalenka takes on qualifier

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Alcaraz[/a] and women's defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] will headline the night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium as second-round action gets underway.[/p][p]Former champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stephens-sloane/21U8Dqna/"]Sloane Stephens[/a] and top US hopes [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shelton-ben/QNuG0Gzb/"]Ben Shelton[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tiafoe-frances/AHDLJaph/"]Frances Tiafoe[/a] are also in action.[/p][p]AFP Sport looks at three matches to watch on Day 4 of the US Open:[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alcaraz-garfia-c-UkhgIFEq/faria-j-ETojuYQP/?mid=CpKK9Ia4"]Carlos Alcaraz vs Jaime Faria[/a][/h2][p][b]First meeting[/b][/p][p]Defending champion Alcaraz dispelled doubts - including his own - with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/safiullin-roman/IBpggNog/"]Roman Safiullin[/a] in his first match since a wrist injury sidelined him in April.[/p][p]Alcaraz reported that he played "pain-free" and after feeling "really, really nervous" in the run-up to his opener the Spaniard got back in the groove and can now concentrate on the details of his game.[/p][image alt="Alcaraz's recent results" id="abaec55c-39d8-475e-815d-e469d5859322" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="1d8aa3ff-ccb0-4aca-9c4c-7263aee23fcf" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]So far his serve hasn't hit the speeds of pre-injury Alcaraz. He said that was partly a tactical decision against Safiullin but said his serve, like the rest of his game, has room for improvement.[/p][p][b]"I'm gonna try to serve better,"[/b] he said. [b]"The point is going to be try to serve normal, but it's a shot that I just always struggle, I guess.[/b][/p][p][b]"But it will be back, for sure."[/b][/p][p]Whatever gaps remain in his game, Alcaraz will be heavily favored against 72nd-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/faria-jaime/ETojuYQP/"]Faria[/a], whose five-set victory over 74th-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brooksby-jenson/MoOtVkbN/"]Jenson Brooksby[/a] made him the third Portuguese player to win a match at all four majors.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/iatcenko-p-ADlgOFQL/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=6o4LWPkt"]Aryna Sabalenka vs Polina Iatcenko[/a][/h2][p][b]First meeting[/b][/p][p]World number one Sabalenka is searching for the consistency that saw her win back-to-back titles at Indian Wells and Miami in March, and she'll need it if she's to become just the third woman to win three straight US Open titles.[/p][p][b]Sabalenka, who got past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osorio-serrano-maria-camila/rysUUciD/"]Camila Osorio[/a] in straight sets in the first round, will be up against a battler in 22-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/iatcenko-polina/ADlgOFQL/"]Polina Iatcenko[/a], the 160th-ranked qualifier who fought from a set down to beat Mexico's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zarazua-renata/6TlRnRze/"]Renata Zarazua[/a].[/b][/p][embed guid="24de5f27-faf5-4003-93e7-e6283ebb4777" url="https://x.com/SchedulesTennis/status/2094983787452989598" social-type="twitter" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/sakamoto-r-AeBHWNls/tiafoe-f-AHDLJaph/?mid=442nnJUh"]Rei Sakamoto vs Frances Tiafoe[/a][/h2][p][b]First meeting[/b][/p][p]Tiafoe could have his hands full with 20-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sakamoto-rei/AeBHWNls/"]Rei Sakamoto[/a], who came through qualifying with a victory over his onetime idol [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nishikori-kei/YNkOjUIB/"]Kei Nishikori[/a] and belted an astonishing 38 aces in a five-set first-round victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vukic-aleksandar/O2CmIROi/"]Aleksandar Vukic[/a].[/p][p]Sakamoto was the Australian Open boys' champion two years ago and will be keen to make his presence felt among the senior ranks.[/p][p][b]Tiafoe, a two-time US Open semi-finalist, is part of a raft of American men trying to end their 23-year Grand Slam title drought.[/b][/p][p]Tiafoe won a title in Halle this year and reached the final of the Cincinnati Masters this month. He has already survived a big-serving barrage this week, withstanding 28 aces from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/damm-martin-2003/vX7WOXtP/"]Martin Damm[/a] in a five-set win over his compatriot.[/p][infobox id="3dc51b3a-107f-482b-9173-a97d347ef1b3" /]