Carlos Alcaraz made a striking comeback to the professional tennis circuit with a flawless three‑set triumph over Russia's Roman Safiullin in the opening round of the US Open. The young Spaniard had been absent from competitive singles action since he withdrew from the Barcelona Open in April because of a wrist problem that forced him to sit out both the French Open and Wimbledon.
Although the injury was serious enough to raise concerns, it did not require surgery, and Alcaraz entered the New York tournament with a lingering question about his fitness. His 6‑4 6‑4 6‑4 win over Safiullin answered that question emphatically, demonstrating that he remains a serious contender to defend the title he captured last year. Former British champion Tim Henman, speaking for Sky Sports Tennis, summed up the performance: "If you had asked Alcaraz how he wanted the match to go, he would have described a straight‑sets victory, a few pressure moments, and just over two hours of tennis. That's exactly what he delivered today.
He and his team will be thrilled with every facet of the game." Alcariz himself admitted that doubts crept in during the match. "There were moments when I wondered if I could last a best‑of‑five match, playing four or five sets," he said, referring to the grueling format of Grand Slam men’s matches. "I felt a little uncertainty, but I tried to push those thoughts aside and concentrate on the areas I needed to improve.
Physically I felt very good on the court." The match attracted a fair amount of celebrity attention, most notably from rapper Travis Scott, who helped design Alcaraz's distinctive brown outfit for the tournament. Observers were eager to see whether his serve speed and groundstroke power would still be at elite levels after more than four months away from singles competition.
In the opening set, Alcaraz faced early pressure, having to save two break points in his first three service games. He broke Safiullin in the eighth game and held on to take the set 6‑4.
The second set saw a similar pattern: Safiullin broke early, but Alcaraz responded immediately, raising his intensity, breaking back in the eighth game, and sealing the set 6‑4. In the third set, after an early break, Alcaraz never looked vulnerable on his serve again, moving fluidly around the court and maintaining a high level of play to close out the match without further trouble. While Alcaraz was the headline, other notable stories unfolded across the grounds of Flushing Meadows.
Aryna Sabalenka, the Belarusian powerhouse, opened her campaign with a straight‑sets win over Colombia's Camila Osorio, 6‑2 6‑4. Sabalenka is chasing a historic third consecutive US Open title, a feat not achieved since Serena Williams in 2014.
She acknowledged the challenge posed by Osorio in the second set, saying, "Camila is a tough opponent, but I was ready to do whatever it takes to get the win. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the support.
It was a fun and tough match, and I'm happy to have taken it in straight sets." Sabalenka's recent form has been under scrutiny after she fell in the round of 16 at three consecutive tournaments – Wimbledon, the Canadian Open, and the Cincinnati Open. A poor run could jeopardise her hold on the world No.1 ranking, which she has occupied since October 2024.
Players such as Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are all within striking distance of overtaking her. Nevertheless, her game is built around hard‑court dominance; all four of her Grand Slam titles have come on hard surfaces, and her raw power makes her a formidable opponent on the US Open's DecoTurf courts. In the women's draw, other players also made headlines.
Karolina Muchova, the Wimbledon runner‑up, started her tournament strongly by dispatching Austria's Sinja Karus 6‑3 6‑0. Meanwhile, Amanda Anisimova, last year’s US Open finalist, continued her resurgence with a 6‑1 6‑3 victory over compatriot Ashlyn Krueger.
American hopefuls Emma Navarro, Taylor Townsend and Cate McNally also secured wins on Monday, adding depth to the U.S. contingent. British talent featured prominently as well.
Harriet Dart fought back from a set and a break down to defeat American Peyton Stearns 3‑6 6‑3 6‑2, a comeback that earned praise from her coach and former world No.1 Marion Bartoli: "I'm really pleased for her. Such a great effort and mentally it's so hard to come back but she fought so hard.
It's absolutely brilliant." Jacob Fearnley, another British youngster, produced a dramatic five‑set win over Spain's Martin Landaluce, 4‑6 6‑2 4‑6 7‑5 6‑3. Landaluce had a match point in the fourth set, serving for the match, but Fearnley rallied to win three consecutive games and carry the momentum into the decisive set. The British player, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser after losing in qualifying, described his mindset as playing with "nothing to lose" and treating the opportunity as "house money," allowing him to relax and perform at his best. Harry Wendelken, a British qualifier, gave 21st seed Luciano Darderi a serious scare in their first‑round encounter, ultimately losing 6‑2 3‑6 6‑2 7‑5.
Wendelken's journey to the main draw was arduous; he spent nearly nine hours on court during qualifying, including a marathon three‑set, three‑tiebreak battle against Vilius Gaubas in the final round. The US Open continues to be broadcast daily on Sky Sports until September 13, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app for viewers without a contract.
Fans can also look forward to the upcoming Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, which will also be shown live on Sky Sports.