Carlos Alcaraz made an impressive comeback to the professional tennis circuit with a decisive straight‑sets triumph over Russia's Roman Safiullin in the opening round of the US Open. This marked his first competitive singles appearance since withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in April due to a wrist problem that also forced him to sit out the French Open and Wimbledon. Although the injury did not require surgery, its seriousness left his participation in New York in doubt.
Alcaraz entered Flushing Meadows anyway, and his 6‑4 6‑4 6‑4 win over Safiullin demonstrated that he remains a serious contender to defend the title he captured last year. Tim Henman of Sky Sports Tennis summed up the performance: "If you’d asked Alcaraz how he wanted the match to go, he would have said a straight‑sets win, a few pressure moments and about two hours of tennis.
That’s exactly what he got today, and he and his team will be thrilled with every aspect of the game." Alcariz admitted there were moments of uncertainty, noting, "I wondered if I could last a best‑of‑five match, four or five sets. I had a little doubt, but I tried to push it aside, focus on the things I needed to improve, and I felt physically fine." 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 how the seven‑time Grand Slam champion's serve speed and groundstroke power would hold up after more than four months away from competitive singles play.
Alcaraz had to save two break points in his first three service games before breaking Safiullin in the eighth game to clinch the opening set. He was broken early in the second set, but responded instantly by breaking back and raising his intensity, eventually taking the set with another break in the eighth game. In the third set, after an early break, Alcaraz never allowed Safiullin any real chance on his serve, maintaining a high level of movement and shot‑making to seal the match.
In the same half of the draw, Arthur Fils—fresh off a Cincinnati Open title—was eliminated by Stefanos Tsitsipas in a four‑set battle (4‑6 7‑6(7‑3) 6‑1 6‑4), removing one of the biggest threats to Alcaraz's campaign. On the women's side, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka also opened her US Open run 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 titles. 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 support—a fun and tough match, but I’m happy to get through in straight sets." Sabalenka's recent form has been under scrutiny after third‑round exits at Wimbledon, the Canadian Open, and the Cincinnati Open. Those setbacks have opened the door for a possible change in the world No. 1 ranking, with Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula all in contention to overtake her for the first time since October 2024.
Nevertheless, hard courts remain Sabalenka's strongest surface; all four of her Grand Slam titles have come on hard courts, and her raw power makes her a formidable opponent on the US Open. Other notable early‑round results included Wimbledon runner‑up Karolina Muchova beginning her tournament with a dominant 6‑3 6‑0 victory over Austria's Sinja Karus.
Former US Open finalist Amanda Anisimova also progressed, beating fellow American Ashlyn Krueger 6‑1 6‑3, while Emma Navarro, Taylor Townsend and Cate McNally added to the list of American women advancing 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, prompting her coach and Sky Sports pundit Marion Bartoli to praise the mental resilience required for such a turnaround.
Fearnley survived a grueling five‑set battle against Spain's Martin Landaluze, winning 4‑6 6‑2 4‑6 7‑5 6‑3 after Landaluze served for the match in the fourth set. Despite missing a routine smash that could have ended the contest, Fearnley kept his composure, securing his place in the second round for a second consecutive year. The British player, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser after falling in qualifying, described his mindset as playing "on house money" and expressed gratitude for the second chance. In another British effort, qualifier Harry Wendelken gave 21st seed Luciano Darderi a serious scare, pushing the match to four sets before ultimately losing 6‑2 3‑6 6‑2 7‑5.
Wendelken's qualifying run was taxing, involving nearly nine hours of court time and a marathon three‑set, three‑tiebreak encounter 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 September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.