Carlos Alcaraz took another confident step in his return from injury Wednesday, while defending champion Aryna Sabalenka also advanced at the U.S. Open as organizers finally cleared a backlog of rain-delayed matches.
Former champion Daniil Medvedev overcame an unusual interruption from a bird to reach the next round, while Americans Ben Shelton, Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro and Frances Tiafoe also advanced.
Alcaraz was the headline act in the evening session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the No. 2 seed recovered from a slow start to defeat Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.
The Spaniard responded to dropping the opening set with a dominant display of shot-making, easing concerns over the wrist injury that had threatened to disrupt his title bid in New York.
"I wanted to be quick ... I'm not going to lie," Alcaraz said after spending two hours, 40 minutes on court.
"But at the end I realized that I'm just playing four sets. It was really good for me to test everything physically, to test my body, how I feel and tomorrow how I'm going to feel after this match, after four sets."
Sabalenka was even more impressive a short while earlier on the main showcourt, as the Belarusian crushed Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 before bristling at a question about her appearances at pre-tournament events.
"You guys are, like, a joke. Parties, fun ... like, why would you even say that? Why would you even think about that? What kind of question is that?" the world No. 1 said.
"Just because I posted, like, some activities with brands, and you think that I've been partying, not training?"
Medvedev, the 2021 champion, had his feathers ruffled in a 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 victory over U.S. wild-card entrant Sebastian Gorzny on Louis Armstrong Stadium when two birds landed on the net.
Earlier, third-ranked Pegula needed just 56 minutes to dismantle 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1 in the first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium to book a matchup with 2021 runner-up Leylah Fernandez.
"To be out of there in under an hour, it doesn't always happen. So I think I'm just going to take that one and run," said Pegula, the runner-up in 2024.
Eighth-seeded Shelton had a more difficult time, beating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5 as he relied on the energy of the home crowd to power through.
The Montreal winner has emerged as one of the best hopes of ending a 23-year U.S. men's major drought in a diminished field missing injured world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Navarro defeated fellow American Caty McNally 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 and Tiafoe beat Rei Sakamoto 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-5. But it was not all good news for the home hopes as 2017 champion Sloane Stephens suffered a 6-1, 7-5 defeat to 11th-seeded Marta Kostyuk.
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova eased to a 6-4, 6-2 win over Thailand's Lanlana Tararudee in her bid for a second consecutive Grand Slam title, while runner-up Karolina Muchova outclassed Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-0.
With a backlog of 14 matches to complete after Tuesday's weather-hit action, organizers looked to the heavens in the afternoon as more rain fell over Flushing Meadows, bringing a brief halt to play.
There was no stopping lucky loser Bu Yunchaokete from reaching the second round, however, as he delivered a stunning win over 12th-seeded Rafael Jodar.
Alex Michelsen delivered another jolt to a fancied player as he upset fellow American and 16th-seeded Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round, while Australian sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur eased through his opening match against Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
Peruvian Ignacio Buse added a new chapter to his family's U.S. Open story as he won a five-setter to earn his maiden victory and follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Eduardo, who last won a match at the tournament in 1958.
