Alcaraz wins US Open first round in return from wrist injury

Carlos Alcaraz made a confident return to competitive tennis on Monday, defeating Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the 2026 US Open after nearly five months away from the court due to a right wrist injury. The seven-time Grand Slam champion, seeded No. 2, showed few signs of rust as he opened his title defense at Flushing Meadows in a match that lasted roughly three hours.olympics+2

Alcaraz Shakes Off the Rust

Alcaraz had not played a singles match since April, missing the last two Grand Slams while recovering. Despite the layoff, the 23-year-old Spaniard controlled the match from the start, earning the first break in the seventh game of the opening set and growing more assured as play continued.tennismajors+1

"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 … I couldn't have decided to come back at a better tournament, here at the US Open, here in New York," Alcaraz said after the match. "I missed the crowd, the energy, the competition. I missed everything, so I'm just really happy I was able to compete again."olympics

According to Tennis Majors, just eight points separated the two men across the three sets, 99 to 91, suggesting the scoreline was more comfortable than the match itself. Alcaraz acknowledged some doubt about his fitness for a best-of-five-set format but said he felt physically strong throughout.tennismajors+1

Sabalenka, Anisimova Also Advance

Alcaraz was not the only defending champion to start strong. Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated Camila Osorio 6-4, 6-4 in the day's earlier session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, beginning her bid to become the first player to win three consecutive US Open titles since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014, according to the Associated Press.seattlepi

Amanda Anisimova, last year's finalist, celebrated her 25th birthday with a 6-1, 6-3 first-round victory over fellow American Ashlyn Krueger in just 72 minutes, according to Reuters.wtatennis+1

Teen Sensation Liutova Falls in Spirited Effort

In one of Monday's more compelling storylines, 16-year-old Kristina Liutova of Redmond, Washington, won the first set against 2024 Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen before falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Liutova, the first player born in the 2010s to reach a Grand Slam main draw, left the court in tears after her nine-match winning streak ended.mynorthwest+1

"She played incredible tennis," Zheng said of Liutova afterward. "It was not easy for me."mynorthwest