Carlos Alcaraz made a striking comeback to the professional tennis circuit with a clean‑sweep win over Russia's Roman Safiullin in the opening round of the US Open, confirming that his recent injury layoff has not diminished his competitive edge. The 22‑year‑old Spaniard had not contested a single‑player match since he withdrew from the Barcelona Open in April due to a wrist problem that forced him to sit out both the French Open and Wimbledon. Although the injury did not require surgery, the lingering discomfort raised doubts about his readiness for the hard‑court season, and many wondered whether he could still defend the title he captured at Flushing Meadows last year.
Alcaraz entered the tournament with a cautious optimism, and his 6‑4 6‑4 6‑4 triumph over Safiullin demonstrated that the doubts were unfounded. Sky Sports Tennis analyst Tim Henman summed up the performance 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." The Spaniard admitted that he had moments of uncertainty before the match, wondering whether he could endure a potential five‑set battle. "There were some doubts in the match, I'm not going to lie.
Thinking about if I would last the match, best of five, playing four or five sets," he said, before refocusing on the tasks at hand and noting that physically he felt "really well." The match attracted considerable attention, not least because rapper Travis Scott, who helped design Alcaraz's distinctive brown US Open outfit, was in the stands. Observers were keen to see whether the seven‑time Grand Slam champion could still generate the blistering serve speeds and groundstroke velocity that have become his trademark after more than four months away from competitive singles play. Alcaraz faced early pressure, having to save two break points in each of 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 responded immediately with a break of his own, then intensified his play to secure another break in the eighth game, sealing the set.
The third set began with an early break for the Spaniard, after which he never looked back. He held serve comfortably, moved fluidly around the court, and maintained a high level of aggression, ultimately dispatching the Russian challenger without allowing any serious threat to his service games.
While Alcaraz was the headline, other notable storylines unfolded across the grounds. Arthur Fils, who had captured the Cincinnati Open title the week before, was eliminated by Stefanos Tsitsipas in a four‑set battle (4‑6 7‑6(3) 6‑1 6‑4), removing one of the biggest potential obstacles from Alcaraz's half of the draw. On the women's side, Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka also began her campaign with a straight‑sets win, defeating 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 crowns. She acknowledged the challenge Osorio presented 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 support. A fun and tough match but happy to get through in straight sets." Sabalenka's recent form has been under scrutiny after she suffered round‑of‑16 exits at Wimbledon, the Canadian Open, and the Cincinnati Open.
Those losses have opened the door for a potential shift in the world No. 1 ranking, with Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula all positioned to overtake her if she falters.
Nevertheless, Sabalenka's game is built around hard‑court dominance; all four of her Grand Slam titles have come on this surface, and her raw power remains a formidable weapon. Other players made headlines as well.
Wimbledon runner‑up Karolina Muchova opened her US Open run with a convincing 6‑3 6‑0 victory over Austria's Sinja Karus. Former US Open finalist Amanda Anisimova continued her resurgence by beating compatriot Ashlyn Krueger 6‑1 6‑3, while fellow Americans Emma Navarro, Taylor Townsend, and Cate McNally also secured wins on Monday.
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, earning praise from her coach and former world No. 1 Marion Bartoli, who described the effort as "absolutely brilliant" and highlighted the mental resilience required.
Fearnley, a lucky loser who entered the main draw after losing in qualifying, battled past Spain's Martin Landaluce in a five‑set thriller (4‑6 6‑2 4‑6 7‑5 6‑3). After Landaluce served for the match in the fourth set, Fearnley seized momentum, winning three consecutive games to force a decider and ultimately prevailing despite missing a routine smash that could have ended the contest earlier. He reflected on his mindset, saying, "I saw it like I had nothing to lose and was playing on house money a little bit. That's what I told myself to ease the nerves and give my best effort.
Super grateful for the second chance and glad I could make good use of it." British qualifier Harry Wendelken gave 21st seed Luciano Darderi a serious scare, pushing the match to four sets before falling 6‑2 3‑6 6‑2 7‑5. Wendelken's path to the main draw was grueling; he spent nearly nine hours on court during qualifying, including an exhausting three‑set, three‑tiebreak duel 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 on NOW and the Sky Sports app for viewers who prefer contract‑free access. Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, which will be shown on Sky Sports as well.