ATP Tour

Alcaraz starts US Open campaign with business-like win

Carlos Alcaraz debuted a striking new buzzcut Monday that made its rounds on social media, but on court, the second seed kept things business as usual to win his first-round match at the US Open.

Sporting a bordeaux-coloured sleeveless top, the Spaniard downed big-serving American Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to begin his campaign at Flushing Meadows, where this fortnight Alcaraz is aiming for his second US Open crown and sixth major trophy overall.

“Today was a really difficult one against a really great player,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “With [Reilly’s] serve, I couldn’t get that rhythm I wanted to get in the match, but just really happy with everything I’ve done today. I think the return was one of the best things I did today and then I just tried to pay my best tennis, be focused on the serve. I think overall, I did a great performance today.”

Smooth first round swing ⛳️@carlosalcaraz defeats Opelka 6-4 7-5 6-4 to start his #USOpen campaign in style!@usopen

pic.twitter.com/UIHLnD2MJ4

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 26, 2025

With the win, Alcaraz stays on course in the battle for World No. 1. If the Spaniard matches or betters Jannik Sinner’s result, Alcaraz will leave New York atop the PIF ATP Rankings.

Alcaraz and rival Sinner could meet in a double-prize championship match, with the US Open trophy and World No. 1 honours on the line. But with plenty of tennis remaining in the season’s final major, Alcaraz’s attention will first be on a different Italian, his second-round opponent Mattia Bellucci. Alcaraz will look to avoid a repeat of his stunning second-round exit last year, when he fell to Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets.

Former No. 17 Opelka went for a bold approach with fearless serving and heavy hitting early in rallies to dictate play and give Alcaraz little to no rhythm. But Alcaraz’s consistency from the baseline allowed the 2022 champion to absorb the pressure and ultimately outlast the 6’11” American. Alcaraz created 11 break chances, converting three. He closed out the two-hour, five-minute match just before the clock struck midnight in New York.

“You feel like nothing depends on you, it always depends on him and the way he serves, the way he plays from the baseline,” Alcaraz said of the challenge of facing Opelka. “You just have to be focused, put as many returns in as you can, try to be in the rally and try to win the points that he lets you play from the baseline. It’s really difficult when you play someone who doesn’t let you play your game.”

Alcaraz boasts a season-leading 55 wins and six titles, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Last Monday, the 22-year-old lifted his first Cincinnati Open title.

In earlier action, Norwegian Casper Ruud, who Alcaraz beat in the 2022 final, advanced with a 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(5) victory against Austrian Sebastian Ofner.

Home favourite Frances Tiafoe began his campaign by ousting Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-3. Ninth seed Karen Khachanov fought off #NextGenATP wild card Nishesh Basavareddy 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 and 15th seed Andrey Rublev downed Dino Prizmic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.