Camille Naredo

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz reacts as he plays against Russia's Roman Safiullin in their men's singles first round tennis match on day two of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on August 31, 2026.

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz reacts as he plays against Russia's Roman Safiullin in their men's singles first round tennis match on day two of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on August 31, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

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US Open

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788242106975AFP__20260831__C6XR9W9__v1__MidRes__TennisUsaOpen.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Spain&#x27;s Carlos Alcaraz reacts as he plays against Russia&#x27;s Roman Safiullin in their men&#x27;s singles first round tennis match on day two of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on August 31, 2026. Timothy A. Clary, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Spain&#x27;s Carlos Alcaraz reacts as he plays against Russia&#x27;s Roman Safiullin in their men&#x27;s singles first round tennis match on day two of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on August 31, 2026. <em>Timothy A. Clary, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>NEW YORK — Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz didn&#x27;t miss a beat as he returned from a four-month injury absence with a straight-sets first-round victory in the US Open on Monday.</p><p>Out of action with a wrist injury since April, Alcaraz passed his first test with flying colors, beating Russian Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where women&#x27;s defending champion Aryna Sabalenka also made it safely into the second round.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/8/31/tennis-fever-hits-new-york-for-start-of-us-open-1409">READ: Tennis fever hits New York for start of US Open</a></div><p>&quot;It&#x27;s been a really tough five months for me,&quot; Alcaraz said.</p><p>&quot;Being able to step on the Arthur Ashe, being able to compete again, I couldn&#x27;t decide to come back in a better tournament. It&#x27;s a really special place for me.</p><p>&quot;I tried to enjoy as much as I can. I missed the crowd, I missed the energy, I missed competition. I missed everything.&quot;</p><p>Alcaraz is trying to bookend his season with major titles after his Australian Open triumph in January made him the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.</p><p>Monday&#x27;s performance might not have been peak Alcaraz, but the seven-time Grand Slam champion unleashed his powerful forehand with increasing confidence and displayed his familiar touch at the net.</p><p>&quot;I think the level of tennis is going to be better for sure,&quot; said Alcaraz, who said he was most proud that he was able to quell his own doubts about his fitness.</p><p>&quot;I tried to forget everything, I tried to enjoy,&quot; he said.</p><p>Alcaraz&#x27;s smooth progress into the second round came less than 24 hours after an <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/8/31/djokovic-crashes-out-of-us-open-first-round-for-earliest-grand-slam-exit-in-20-years-1403">ailing Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit in 20 years</a>, falling in five brutal sets to Mariano Navone.</p><p>The tournament was already missing top-ranked Jannik Sinner, who has a knee injury, and Djokovic&#x27;s exit removed another possible obstacle for Alcaraz, who could have met the Serb in the semi-finals.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Aggressive Sabalenka -</strong></div><p>Sabalenka&#x27;s bid for a rare US Open three-peat comes during a worrying drop in form, but the Belarusian star rose to the occasion in a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Camila Osorio.</p><p>She was slowed by 23 unforced errors but belted 32 winners to more than compensate, her thunderous groundstrokes proving enough to see off a counter-punching opponent who stepped up her game in the second set.</p><p>&quot;She brought the fight,&quot; Sabalenka said. &quot;She battled really well and I just tried to stay as aggressive as possible.</p><p>&quot;I think I played great. She&#x27;s a tough opponent, makes you work really hard to get every point, so I&#x27;m happy that I was able to close the match in straight sets,&quot; she added.</p><p>Sabalenka hasn&#x27;t reached a final since capturing the prestigious &quot;Sunshine Double&quot; of Indian Wells and Miami in March.</p><p>Japan&#x27;s Naomi Osaka was forced to dig deep before overcoming Russian first-round opponent Anastasia Zakharova 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/3) in just over two hours in a late night duel.</p><p>Poland&#x27;s six-time Grand Slam singles champion Iga Swiatek sailed into the second round with a straight-sets victory over China&#x27;s Wang Xiyu.</p><p>Eighth-seeded Swiatek, who defeated Sabalenka on the way to her lone US Open triumph in 2022, eased past Wang 6-2, 6-3 in 1hr 28min.</p><p>Frenchman Arthur Fils, flying high after his first ATP Masters title in Cincinnati, was brought back to earth by Greece&#x27;s Stefanos Tsitsipas 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, 6-4.</p><p>Tsitsipas bagged his first win over 22-year-old Fils in six encounters.</p><p>&quot;I am speechless, I don&#x27;t know what to say,&quot; said Tsitsipas, a former top five player who has slumped to 53 in the world. &quot;It&#x27;s an amazing start to the tournament.&quot;</p><p>Canadian third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime also advanced, defeating Australia&#x27;s Rinky Hijikata 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.</p><p>American eighth seed Ben Shelton overcame a rocky start before booking his place in the second round with a 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 defeat of the Netherlands&#x27; Tallon Griekspoor in the night match on Arthur Ashe</p><p>Shelton looked out of sorts as Griekspoor roared through the first set with three breaks of serve but turned the tables to win in 2hr 35min.</p><p>&quot;Started off with a little bit of nerves tonight, but I found my rhythm,&quot; Shelton said.</p><p>Top-seeded German, Alexander Zverev, will begin his campaign on Tuesday.    </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NzBdeZcWD2M?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz didn't miss a beat as he returned from a four-month injury absence with a straight-sets first-round victory in the US Open on Monday.</p>

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz didn't miss a beat as he returned from a four-month injury absence with a straight-sets first-round victory in the US Open on Monday.

Alcaraz makes winning return at US Open, Sabalenka safely through

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Alcaraz makes winning return at US Open, Sabalenka safely through

Rebecca Bryan,

Agence France-Presse

Published September 01, 2026 01:56 PM PHT

Read More:

New York

United States

Carlos Alcaraz

tennis

US Open

Roman Safiullin

Aryna Sabalenka

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