Defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz made a successful return to the tournament on Monday, winning his first-round match in straight sets after a four-month absence due to a wrist injury. Alcaraz defeated Russian Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, marking his first competitive match since April.
Alcaraz expressed relief and joy at being back on the court. "It’s been a really tough five months for me," he said. "Being able to step on the Arthur Ashe, being able to compete again, I couldn’t decide to come back in a better tournament. It’s a really special place for me." The seven-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged he was not yet at his peak level but showed signs of regaining form, particularly with his powerful forehand and net play. He also spoke about overcoming doubts about his fitness and enjoying the competition once again.
Alcaraz, who won the Australian Open earlier this year to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, aims to conclude his season with another major title. His path at the US Open may have been eased by the recent early exit of Novak Djokovic, who suffered a five-set defeat to Mariano Navone in Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam loss in two decades. The tournament is also missing top-ranked Jannik Sinner due to a knee injury.
In the women’s draw, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Camila Osorio. Sabalenka, who is attempting a rare US Open three-peat, struggled with 23 unforced errors but compensated by hitting 32 winners, relying on her powerful groundstrokes to overcome a determined opponent. Sabalenka acknowledged Osorio’s resilience and emphasized her own aggressive approach to close out the match in straight sets. The Belarusian has not reached a final since winning the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments in March.
Other notable performances included Naomi Osaka, who edged past Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova in two tiebreak sets in a match lasting just over two hours. Poland’s Iga Swiatek comfortably progressed with a 6-2, 6-3 win over China’s Wang Xiyu. Stefanos Tsitsipas registered a four-set victory over Arthur Fils, marking his first win against the young French player in six meetings. Canadian third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime also advanced with a four-set win against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata, while American eighth seed Ben Shelton recovered from a slow start to defeat Tallon Griekspoor in four sets on Arthur Ashe court.