Carlos Alcaraz marked his return to singles tennis after a 139-day absence by defeating Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round of the US Open. The seven-time major winner stepped onto Arthur Ashe Stadium to begin his title defence, having spent over four months sidelined with a wrist injury. Alcaraz's dynamic play and energy were on full display as he delighted the New York crowd.
During his recovery, Alcaraz watched Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner claim the French Open and Wimbledon titles. Now back on court, the Spaniard expressed his gratitude for returning to competition, telling fans he missed the crowd, energy, and the thrill of playing. Despite wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm, Alcaraz's forehand remained a key weapon, producing 28 winners against Safiullin.
Alcaraz's performance and on-court presence
Alcaraz celebrated each winner with his trademark fist pump and shouts of "vamos" to his team. The 23-year-old enjoyed the occasion, even singing along to music during changeovers and encouraging the crowd to raise the volume after a standout drop shot. BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra analyst Pat Cash noted Alcaraz's enthusiasm for every point, while Alcaraz himself emphasised his focus on enjoying each match during his comeback.
While his forehand and drop shots impressed, Alcaraz acknowledged his serve was not at its best, recording just two aces to five double faults. He explained that a slower serve was partly tactical, but expects improvement as he regains match rhythm. Alcaraz admitted to pre-match doubts about his fitness for a best-of-five contest but felt confident he would improve with more matches.
Next opponent and tournament outlook
Alcaraz will face Portugal's Jaime Faria, ranked 72nd, in the second round. His path to the final appears more open after world number one Jannik Sinner withdrew due to injury and Novak Djokovic suffered a first-round defeat. As the second seed, Alcaraz is on the opposite side of the draw from top seed Alexander Zverev, meaning they cannot meet before the final. Among potential challengers, only American Ben Shelton, a top-10 player, could face Alcaraz before the semi-finals.
Alcaraz's successful return sets up an intriguing US Open campaign as he aims to build momentum and defend his title in New York.
