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 Spaniard had been absent from competitive singles action since pulling out of 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 fitness for the New York event, it did not require surgery, and Alcaraz entered Flushing Meadows determined to prove that he remains a genuine threat to retain the title he captured last year.
Alcaraz’s 6‑4, 6‑4, 6‑4 win was a textbook display of resilience and tactical awareness. He saved two early break points in his first three service games, then broke Safiullin in the eighth game to clinch the opening set.
The second set saw a brief lapse when Alcaraz was broken early, but he responded immediately by breaking back and raising his intensity, eventually breaking again in the eighth game to take the set. In the third set, after an early break, Alcariz never allowed the Russian to mount any serious challenge, holding serve comfortably and maintaining a high level of play until the match concluded. Speaking after the match, former Wimbledon champion Tim Henman, who was providing commentary for Sky Sports Tennis, summed up Alcaraz’s performance: “If you had asked him 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 delivered, and his team will be thrilled with every aspect of the game.” Alcaraz admitted that he had moments of doubt before stepping onto the court.
“I wondered whether I could last a best‑of‑five match, whether I could handle four or five sets,” he said. “There was a little bit of uncertainty, but I tried to push those thoughts aside, focus on the areas I needed to improve, and I felt physically fine.” The match attracted a fair amount of celebrity attention, with rapper Travis Scott in the stands.
Scott had helped design Alcaraz’s distinctive brown outfit for the tournament, adding a touch of pop‑culture flair to the young champion’s appearance. Observers were especially keen to see how Alcaraz’s serve and groundstroke speed would hold up after more than four months away from competitive singles play. Alcaraz’s next opponent will be Portugal’s Jaime Faria, and the Spaniard will be eager to build on the momentum generated by his first‑round triumph. In the women’s draw, Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka also opened her campaign with a straight‑sets win, dispatching 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 completed the treble in 2014. Although Osorio offered a solid challenge in the second set, Sabalenka’s experience and firepower saw her through without dropping a set.
Sabalenka’s recent form had been under scrutiny after she fell in the round of 16 at three consecutive events – Wimbledon, the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open. The Belarusian’s ranking could also be at risk; she has held the world No. 1 spot since October 2024, but rivals Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are all within striking distance and could overtake her if she falters.
Nevertheless, hard courts remain Sabalenka’s preferred surface. All four of her Grand Slam titles have come on hard courts, and her raw power makes her a formidable opponent on the surface that suits her aggressive baseline style.
Other notable performances on Day 1 included Britain’s Karolina Muchova, the Wimbledon runner‑up, who opened her US Open run with a dominant 6‑3, 6‑0 victory over Austria’s Sinja Karus. In the women’s draw, last year’s US Open finalist Amanda Anisimova beat fellow American Ashlyn Krueger 6‑1, 6‑3, while Emma Navarro, Taylor Townsend and Cate McNally also secured first‑round wins, adding depth to the American contingent. Britain’s Harriet Dart and Jacob Fearnley both displayed fighting spirit 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 comeback, calling it a “great effort” and highlighting the mental toughness required to turn the match around. Fearnley’s marathon battle against Spain’s Martin Landaluce was a true test of endurance. After losing the first set 4‑6, he rallied to win the second 6‑2, then dropped the third 4‑6. The fourth set saw Landaluce serve for the match, but Fearnley broke back and claimed three consecutive games to force a decisive fifth set, which he won 6‑3.
The British player, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser after falling in qualifying, said he approached the match as if he were playing “on house money,” a mindset that helped him stay relaxed and deliver his best tennis. His victory not only earned him a second‑round spot for a second year running but also put him on the cusp of re‑entering the world’s top 100.
In another surprise, Italian 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 journey to the main draw 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 on the NOW platform and the Sky Sports app. Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, which will be shown live on Sky Sports as well.