Carlos Alcaraz made a striking comeback to the professional tennis circuit with a clean‑sheet triumph over Russia's Roman Safiullin in the opening round of the US Open, winning 6‑4 6‑4 6‑4. The young Spaniard 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 miss both the French Open and Wimbledon. Although the injury was serious enough to raise doubts about his participation in New York, doctors confirmed that surgery was unnecessary, and Alcaraz decided to push ahead with his title defence. His performance on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows left little room for speculation.
From the first serve, Alcariz displayed the aggressive baseline play and fluid movement that earned him the world No. 1 ranking last season. He saved two break points in his opening service games, then broke Safiullin in the eighth game to clinch the first set.
The second set saw a brief lapse – Safiullin managed to break Alcaraz early – but the Spaniard answered immediately, reclaimed the break, and surged ahead to take the set 6‑4 after a decisive break in the eighth game. In the third set, Alcaraz broke early again and never looked back, holding his serve comfortably and finishing the match without facing another break point. Tim Henman of Sky Sports summed up the Spaniard's night perfectly: "If you’d have asked Alcaraz how he’d have liked this game to go, he would have signed up for a straight‑sets victory, a few pressure moments, and just over two hours of work. That is exactly what he got today.
He and his team will be delighted with all aspects of this game." Alcaraz himself admitted that there were moments of uncertainty. "There were some doubts in the match, I'm not going to lie.
I thought about whether I could last a best‑of‑five match, playing four or five sets," he said before his next opponent, Portugal's Jaime Faria. "I had a little bit of doubt, but I tried to forget everything and focus on the things I needed to improve.
Physically I felt really well." 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 seven‑time Grand Slam champion could still generate the same serve speed and groundstroke power after a four‑month hiatus from competitive singles. The answer was a resounding yes – his serve consistently hit the upper 130‑mph range and his forehand remained a weapon, allowing him to dictate points from the baseline. While Alcaraz was the headline, other notable storylines unfolded across the tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka opened her campaign with a straight‑sets win over Colombia's Camila Osorio, 6‑2 6‑4, keeping alive her quest to become the first player since Serena Williams in 2014 to capture three consecutive US Open titles. Sabalenka, who has faced criticism after early exits in her last three tournaments (Wimbledon, the Canadian Open, and Cincinnati), said she was ready to do "whatever it takes" to secure the win and enjoyed the supportive atmosphere. Her powerful game on hard courts – the surface of all four of her Grand Slam crowns – remains a formidable challenge for any opponent, and she will be looking to maintain her world No.
1 ranking against rising threats from Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. On the men's side, British hopefuls also made headlines. Harriet Dart staged a dramatic comeback against American Peyton Stearns, overturning a 1‑6, 3‑6 deficit to win 3‑6 6‑3 6‑2. Her coach, former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, praised her mental resilience, calling the effort "absolutely brilliant." Jacob Fearnley, a lucky‑loser who entered the main draw after falling in qualifying, produced a marathon five‑set victory over Spain's Martin Landaluze, 4‑6 6‑2 4‑6 7‑5 6‑3.
After Landaluze served for the match in the fourth set, Fearnley rallied to win three consecutive games, carried that momentum into the fifth, and secured his second‑round spot for a second year running. He reflected that he played "as if I had nothing to lose," treating the opportunity as "house money" and expressing gratitude for the second chance.
Meanwhile, other notable matches included Karolina Muchova, the Wimbledon runner‑up, who opened her US Open run with a dominant 6‑3 6‑0 win over Austria's Sinja Karus. Amanda Anisimova, last year’s US Open finalist, dispatched compatriot Ashlyn Krueger 6‑1 6‑3, and American teammates Emma Navarro, Taylor Townsend and Cate McNally also advanced, underscoring the depth of U.S.
talent on the hard courts. The tournament also featured a scare for 21st seed Luciano Darderi, who faced British qualifier Harry Wendelken.
After dropping the first set 6‑2, Darderi rallied to take the next two sets, but Wendelken fought back to win 6‑2 3‑6 6‑2 7‑5, showcasing the unpredictable nature of Grand Slam early rounds. Overall, the first day of the US Open delivered a blend of triumphant returns, surprising upsets and compelling narratives. Alcaraz's seamless transition back from injury signals that he remains a genuine threat to repeat his 2023 success, while Sabalenka's powerful baseline game keeps her on track for a historic three‑peat.
British players demonstrated grit and determination, and the tournament's atmosphere, amplified by celebrity appearances and enthusiastic crowds, set the stage for an exciting fortnight of tennis. The matches continue to be broadcast live on Sky Sports daily through September 13, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app for viewers who prefer contract‑free access.