US Open 2026 Day 4 Preview: Alcaraz Faces Faria as Paul and Bublik Continue New York Campaigns
The 2026 US Open continues Wednesday, September 2, with Day 4 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center featuring another loaded slate of second-round men’s singles action.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz returns to the court against rising Portuguese talent Jaime Faria, while American contender Tommy Paul takes on Croatia’s Dino Prizmic. No. 15 seed Alexander Bublik also faces experienced French left-hander Adrian Mannarino in an intriguing contrast of styles.
For Alcaraz, the storyline remains one of the biggest at the 2026 US Open. After spending nearly five months away from singles competition because of a wrist injury, the Spaniard made a successful return in the opening round and now looks to build momentum as his title defence gathers pace.
Here is our US Open 2026 Day 4 preview, including analysis of Alcaraz vs. Faria, Paul vs. Prizmic and Bublik vs. Mannarino.
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jaime Faria: Defending Champion Faces an Ambitious Challenger
Matchup: Carlos Alcaraz (2) vs. Jaime Faria
Round: Men’s Singles Second Round
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Few players entered the US Open with more attention surrounding them than Carlos Alcaraz.
The defending champion had not played a singles match in 139 days before stepping onto the court against Roman Safiullin in the opening round. Alcaraz had been sidelined since April with a wrist injury, creating considerable uncertainty about his form and fitness entering New York.
His first-round performance provided an encouraging answer.
Alcaraz defeated Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, producing more than 20 forehand winners and, perhaps most importantly, completing the match without experiencing pain in his wrist.
The Spaniard wasn’t necessarily at the spectacular level tennis fans have become accustomed to seeing, but he didn’t need to be. His movement, forehand acceleration and ability to raise his level at important moments were all positive signs.
Now comes a very different challenge.
Jaime Faria Has Nothing to Lose Against Alcaraz
Jaime Faria may not have the international profile of Alcaraz, but the Portuguese player has quietly produced one of the most important seasons of his young career.
Faria reached a career-high ranking of No. 70 in August and has increasingly demonstrated that he belongs against high-level opposition.
One of his biggest breakthroughs came shortly before the US Open when he defeated American star Ben Shelton in Cincinnati, earning the first Top-10 victory of his career.
That result should eliminate any suggestion that Faria will simply be happy to share the court with Alcaraz.
He has weapons.
Faria wants to dictate points, play aggressively and use his power to prevent opponents from settling into comfortable patterns. Against Alcaraz, however, maintaining that level for three, four or potentially five sets becomes considerably more difficult.
The two players have never previously faced each other, making Wednesday’s encounter their first ATP-level meeting.
What Alcaraz Needs to Do Against Faria
The primary objective for Alcaraz should be controlling the match without unnecessarily extending it.
After such a long injury absence, the defending champion needs competitive repetitions, but he also doesn’t want to spend four hours battling through early rounds.
Expect Alcaraz to attack Faria’s second serve, use his forehand to open the court and frequently change the geometry of rallies.
His drop shot could also become important.
Faria possesses considerable baseline power, but Alcaraz is one of the world’s best players at disrupting rhythm. Rather than simply exchanging groundstrokes, he can suddenly shorten the court with a drop shot, accelerate a forehand or move forward to finish at the net.
Faria’s opportunity will come if he can pressure Alcaraz early and test whether the Spaniard is completely comfortable playing under sustained physical and scoreboard pressure.
Alcaraz vs. Faria Prediction
Faria’s improvement makes this considerably more interesting than the rankings might initially suggest.
But defeating Alcaraz in a best-of-five-set match requires maintaining an extraordinary level for a long period.
If the defending champion serves efficiently and continues striking his forehand confidently, he should have too much variety, movement and firepower.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win in four sets.
Tommy Paul vs. Dino Prizmic: American Favourite Faces Dangerous Young Croatian
Matchup: Tommy Paul (20) vs. Dino Prizmic
Round: Men’s Singles Second Round
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Tommy Paul remains one of the most dangerous American players in the men’s draw, particularly on a hard court.
The No. 20 seed has built his career around elite movement, excellent timing and an ability to transition seamlessly between defence and attack.
Those characteristics make Paul particularly difficult to beat in New York.
His opponent, however, represents an interesting challenge.
Dino Prizmic has long been regarded as one of Croatia’s most promising young players. The 21-year-old possesses the physicality and baseline game necessary to compete with established ATP players, and entering this match without the pressure carried by his seeded opponent could make him dangerous.
This will be the first career meeting between Paul and Prizmic.
Why Tommy Paul’s Movement Could Decide the Match
Paul doesn’t necessarily overwhelm opponents with one enormous weapon.
Instead, he makes them uncomfortable.
The American is one of the better movers on the ATP Tour and excels at turning defensive positions into neutral rallies. His speed allows him to extend points that appear finished, while his athleticism gives him the confidence to attack when opportunities appear.
That combination becomes especially effective on hard courts.
Against Prizmic, Paul’s ability to change direction could prove decisive. If he can move the Croatian laterally and prevent him from establishing comfortable hitting positions, Paul should gradually gain control of the baseline exchanges.
Paul also has significantly more experience playing major matches in front of American crowds.
At the US Open, that matters.
What Prizmic Must Do to Pull Off the Upset
Prizmic cannot afford to play passively.
Allowing Paul to dictate rallies and move inside the baseline would make this an extremely difficult assignment.
Instead, the Croatian needs to attack Paul’s service games, take calculated risks with his groundstrokes and look for opportunities to control points with his forehand.
The opening set could be particularly important.
If Prizmic can establish himself early and force Paul into an extended battle, pressure could begin moving toward the American.
But over five sets, Paul’s conditioning, movement and experience provide significant advantages.
Paul vs. Prizmic Prediction
Prizmic has enough talent to make sections of this match uncomfortable for Paul.
The American, however, possesses more ways to win points and considerably more experience managing the momentum swings that accompany Grand Slam tennis.
Paul should eventually take control.
Prediction: Tommy Paul to win in four sets.
Alexander Bublik vs. Adrian Mannarino: Creativity Meets Craft
Matchup: Alexander Bublik (15) vs. Adrian Mannarino
Round: Men’s Singles Second Round
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
If you’re looking for an unpredictable match on the US Open Day 4 schedule, Alexander Bublik against Adrian Mannarino deserves attention.
There aren’t many players who approach tennis quite like Bublik.
The No. 15 seed possesses one of the biggest serves in men’s tennis but combines that power with touch, drop shots, sudden changes of pace and the occasional unconventional tactical decision.
When everything is clicking, Bublik can make even elite opponents extremely uncomfortable.
His opening-round performance suggested he has arrived in New York ready to compete.
Bublik defeated American J.J. Wolf in four sets, winning 80 percent of his first-serve points, firing 18 aces and converting seven of his eight break-point opportunities.
Those are impressive numbers for a player who hadn’t competed since reaching the Kitzbühel final in July.
Mannarino Presents a Completely Different Puzzle
Adrian Mannarino has spent years frustrating opponents with a style that looks relatively simple but is extremely difficult to solve.
The Frenchman’s compact groundstrokes allow him to absorb pace and redirect the ball efficiently. His left-handed serve creates different patterns, while his ability to keep the ball low can prevent aggressive opponents from attacking comfortably.
Against Bublik, that could create some fascinating exchanges.
Mannarino will want to make Bublik play.
Rather than attempting to match his opponent’s power, the Frenchman should look to extend rallies, neutralize the serve whenever possible and force Bublik to generate his own pace repeatedly.
The longer points become, the more interesting this match could get.
Bublik’s Serve Is the Key
For Bublik, everything starts with his first serve.
If he approaches the numbers he produced in Round 1, Mannarino will have very few opportunities to create scoreboard pressure.
Bublik can then become extremely dangerous on return.
The Kazakh doesn’t need to dominate every return game. His ability to hold quickly means one aggressive return game can be enough to decide an entire set.
The challenge will be maintaining discipline.
Mannarino is exactly the type of opponent who can tempt aggressive players into attempting too much. If Bublik remains patient and waits for the correct opportunities to attack, he should have the advantage.
Bublik vs. Mannarino Prediction
Mannarino’s experience and unconventional rhythm make him a difficult opponent to dismiss, particularly if Bublik’s first-serve percentage falls.
But Bublik’s combination of serving power and variety should ultimately separate the two players.
Prediction: Alexander Bublik to win in four sets.
US Open 2026 Day 4: Three Matches to Watch
Wednesday’s second-round action should provide another important indication of whether Carlos Alcaraz is ready to make a serious run at successfully defending his US Open crown.
His first match answered the biggest question surrounding his wrist. Day 4 presents another test—not necessarily because Faria is expected to defeat him, but because the Portuguese youngster has demonstrated enough quality in 2026 to punish any significant drop in Alcaraz’s level.
Tommy Paul also remains a player worth monitoring.
The American’s athleticism and hard-court ability make him dangerous deeper into the tournament, and his section of the draw could eventually produce some fascinating matchups.
Then there is Bublik.
Few players in the tournament possess his combination of power, improvisation and unpredictability. If his first-round serving numbers continue, he could become one of the more dangerous players lurking outside the very top group of favourites.
Can Alcaraz Successfully Defend His US Open Title?
That question will follow Alcaraz throughout the fortnight.
His straight-sets opening victory was an important first step, but a Grand Slam championship requires seven matches—and the physical demands will become substantially greater as the tournament progresses.
No man has successfully defended the US Open singles championship since Roger Federer completed five consecutive titles from 2004 through 2008.
Alcaraz now has an opportunity to end that drought.
First, he must get past Jaime Faria.
And on Day 4 of the 2026 US Open, the defending champion takes the next step in what could become one of the defining stories of this year’s tournament.
US Open Day 4 Featured Match Predictions
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jaime Faria: Alcaraz in four sets
Tommy Paul vs. Dino Prizmic: Paul in four sets
Alexander Bublik vs. Adrian Mannarino: Bublik in four sets
