NEW YORK -- Carlos Alcaraz was already in the final by the time he dropped a set last year in the US Open.
When it happened in his second match this year, he didn't look back.
The defending champion rebounded from a quick deficit by winning eight straight games and beat Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday night.
The No. 2-seeded Alcaraz, in his second match back after missing four months with a right wrist injury, dropped his serve in the first set but soon was back to playing long stretches of flawless tennis.
Carlos Alcaraz shoots an imaginary arrow in celebration after defeating Jaime Faria in four sets Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Adam Hunger/AP "After that I just tried to be focused, tried to stay calm and I'm thinking that good things are going to happen again," Alcaraz said.
Alcaraz is 14-10 (.583) in his major career when losing the first set, passing Jannik Sinner (15-11) for third best in the Open era (minimum 20 matches) behind behind Bjorn Borg (27-13,.675) and John Newcombe (15-10,.600).
He didn't drop a set last year until the final against Sinner, becoming the first man since Roger Federer in 2015 to go through his first six matches without doing so. He then beat Sinner in four sets for his second US Open title.