Carlos Alcaraz made a striking comeback to the professional circuit with a convincing straight‑sets victory over Russia's Roman Safiullin in the opening round of the US Open. The 22‑year‑old had not contested a singles match since he withdrew from the Barcelona Open in April because of a wrist problem that also forced him to skip both the French Open and Wimbledon. Although the injury was not severe enough to require surgery, it left his participation in New York uncertain for several months.
Nevertheless, Alcaraz arrived at Flushing Meadows with confidence and, as his 6‑4 6‑4 6‑4 win over Safiullin demonstrated, he remains a serious contender to defend the title he captured last year. Tim Henman of Sky Sports Tennis summed up the performance perfectly: “If you had asked Alcaraz how he wanted the match to go, he would have described a straight‑sets win, a few pressure moments and a two‑hour effort. That is exactly what he delivered today.
He and his team will be thrilled with every aspect of his game.” Alcaraz admitted there were moments of doubt during the encounter. “I wondered whether I could last a best‑of‑five match, whether I could push through four or five sets,” he said before his next match against Portugal’s Jaime Faria.
“I had a little bit of uncertainty, but I tried to push those thoughts aside and focus on the areas I needed to improve. Physically I felt great.” The match attracted extra attention because rapper Travis Scott, who helped design Alcaraz’s brown US Open outfit, was in the stands. Observers were keen to see whether the Spaniard’s serve speed and groundstroke power would still be on par after a four‑month hiatus from competitive singles. Alcaraz faced early pressure, having to save two break points in his first three service games.
He broke Safiullin in the eighth game to clinch the opening set. In the second set, after being broken early, Alcaraz immediately broke back, raised his intensity and secured another break in the eighth game, taking the set with the same 6‑4 scoreline. The third set began with an early break for Alcaraz, and from that point he never allowed Safiullin to threaten his serve. He continued to move fluidly around the court, maintaining a high level of play on both his forehand and backhand, ultimately sealing the match in three straight sets.
One of the biggest names in Alcaraz’s half of the draw, Arthur Fils, who had just captured the Cincinnati Open title, was eliminated by Stefanos Tsitsipas in a four‑set battle (4‑6 7‑6 (7‑3) 6‑1 6‑4). That upset opened the path for Alcaraz to advance without meeting another top‑10 opponent just yet.
On the women’s side, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka also began her US Open campaign with a straight‑sets win, dispatching Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6‑2 6‑4. Sabalenka is aiming to become the first player since Serena Williams in 2014 to capture three consecutive US Open titles. Although Osorio challenged her in the second set, Sabalenka held firm, saying to Sky Sports Tennis, “Camila is a tough opponent, but I was ready to do whatever it takes to get the win. I loved the atmosphere and the support – a fun, tough match, but I’m happy to move on in straight sets.” Recent form had raised questions about Sabalenka’s consistency; she had exited in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open.
A poor showing could jeopardise her world No. 1 ranking for the first time since October 2024, with Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula all in contention to overtake her.
Nevertheless, Sabalenka’s game is built for hard courts – all four of her Grand Slam crowns have come on this surface – and her raw power makes her a formidable opponent on the New York courts. Other notable performances included Wimbledon runner‑up Karolina Muchova, who opened her campaign with a dominant 6‑3 6‑0 win over Austria’s Sinja Karus, and last year’s US Open finalist Amanda Anisimova, who beat fellow American Ashlyn Krueger 6‑1 6‑3.
The American contingent also saw victories from Emma Navarro, Taylor Townsend and Cate McNally. Britain’s Harriet Dart and Jacob Fearnley both staged impressive comebacks to reach the second round. Dart recovered from a set and a break down to defeat American Peyton Stearns 3‑6 6‑3 6‑2.
Her coach and former champion Marion Bartoli praised the effort, calling it “absolutely brilliant” and highlighting the mental resilience required to turn the match around. Fearnley, a lucky‑loser who had failed to qualify the week before, produced a gritty five‑set victory over Spain’s Martin Landaluce (4‑6 6‑2 4‑6 7‑5 6‑3). After losing the first and third sets, Fearnley saved a match point when Landaluce served for the win in the fourth, then surged ahead in the decider.
Reflecting on his mindset, Fearnley said, “I treated it like I had nothing to lose, playing on house money. That helped calm my nerves and let me give my best.” His win secures a second consecutive appearance in the US Open second round and could help him break back into the world’s top 100. British qualifier Harry Wendelken gave 21st seed Luciano Darderi a scare, taking the first set 6‑2 before eventually losing 3‑6 6‑2 7‑5. Wendelken’s own journey was grueling; he spent nearly nine hours on court during qualifying, including a three‑set, three‑tiebreak marathon against Vilius Gaubas in the final round.
The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports each day through September 13, with streaming options available via NOW and the Sky Sports app. Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from 25‑27 September, also shown on Sky Sports.