ATP Tour

Alcaraz eases past Safiullin on return at US Open

Carlos Alcaraz is back to on-court business and back to winning ways at the US Open.

The No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings settled in quickly on his singles return after a four-month wrist-injury layoff to defeat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Monday afternoon in New York. Alcaraz, who made his competitive return playing alongside Serena Williams in the US Open mixed doubles last week, delivered a typically classy display to begin his title defence.

“It’s been a really tough five months for me, so to be able to step into Arthur Ashe [Stadium] and be able to compete again… as I said before the tournament I couldn’t have decided to come back at a better tournament, here at the US Open, here in New York,” Alcaraz said. “It’s a really special place for me, a special tournament for me.

“I tried to enjoy as much as I can. I missed it. I missed the crowd, the energy. I missed the competition. I missed everything, so I’m just really happy I was able to compete again.”

Alcaraz played with white strapping on his right arm and appeared to ease himself into the first-round encounter on Arthur Ashe Stadium, perhaps holding back a little on serve and his forehand in the early stages. But he soon had the crowd on its feet with a 95 miles per hour forehand winner to break in the seventh game and had no visible physical struggles in his two-hour, 22-minute victory.

“I had] some doubts [about] the match, I’m not going to lie,” Alcaraz said, when asked how his wrist had felt. “I’ve been thinking about, ‘I’m going to last a match of best of five. I’m going to last playing four sets, five sets, I don’t know.' So I had a little bit of doubt, but I tried to forget everything and be focused on the things I had to do, the things that I tried to improve.

"I was thinking, ‘Let’s see what is going to happen in the match’. I’m just happy that I won in straight sets, another win, and physically I just played really well.”

Alcaraz is bidding to become the first player to defend the US Open title since Roger Federer triumphed five times in a row from 2004 to 2008. The Spaniard is a two-time champion in New York, having won his first major crown there in 2022 before his 2025 triumph.

Safiullin, an aggressive ballstriker who defeated Alcaraz in straight sets the first time the pair met at the Rolex Paris Masters in 2023, had his chances to make inroads in his latest attempt to take down the Spaniard. Yet Alcaraz fended off five of six break points he faced, seemingly having lost none of his penchant for raising his level at key moments during his injury hiatus.

With his win, Alcaraz improved to 8-0 at the majors in 2026, having completed the Career Grand Slam by triumphing at January’s Australian Open. The 23-year-old will take on Jaime Faria, who defeated home favourite Jenson Brooksby on Sunday, in the second round.

“The level of tennis is going to be better, for sure,” Alcaraz said when asked about his next match. “By the way, I’m really happy with the level I played in my first match for four months. I think I played good tennis and I’m really proud of it, but I’m going to say I need more matches. I need to get again into the rhythm of the tournament and the matches, so I’m pretty sure I’m going to get better after every day.

“The thing I’m most proud of is [my mentality], to deal with everything, with the nerves and the doubts in my head, and just keep it going.”