Carlos Alcaraz made a confident return to competitive tennis at the US Open, overcoming Roman Safiullin in straight sets to begin his title defence with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
The defending champion arrived at Flushing Meadows with plenty of questions surrounding his fitness after being sidelined since April by a right wrist injury. However, the Spaniard showed few signs of rust in his first singles match for 139 days.
Alcaraz quickly settled into the match and used his powerful forehand to put Safiullin under pressure. He produced more than 20 forehand winners and maintained control throughout the contest, completing the victory in straight sets.
The 23-year-old had admitted to feeling some doubts before stepping onto Arthur Ashe Stadium, but those concerns appeared to disappear once the match began. The New York crowd also gave the two-time US Open champion a huge reception as he returned to singles action.
“It’s been a really tough five months for me. I missed it, I missed the crowd, the energy, I missed competition, I missed everything,” Alcaraz said.
Although Alcaraz was pleased with his performance, he remains cautious about his progress following such a long injury absence. His wrist felt pain-free during the match, but he continues to use additional protection and is taking his recovery one match at a time.
The Spaniard had received a brief taste of competition at the US Open last week when he teamed up with Serena Williams in the mixed doubles. That outing helped him regain some match sharpness before making his singles comeback.
Alcaraz now advances to the second round, where he will face Portugal’s Jaime Faria.
With Jannik Sinner absent through injury and Novak Djokovic suffering a shock first-round defeat, Alcaraz has emerged as one of the leading contenders for the title. He is also aiming to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2008 to successfully defend the US Open crown.
For now, however, Alcaraz is focused on enjoying his return to competition after a difficult five months. His opening performance suggests the defending champion is already finding his rhythm in New York.
