US Open 2026: Carlos Alcaraz starts with a win after injury layoff

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Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz made a dominant return to competitive tennis at the 2026 US Open, beating Roman Safiullin in straight sets to advance in the men’s singles draw.

Stepping onto the court for his first singles match in over four months, the Spanish star recorded a convincing 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Safiullin at Flushing Meadows. His victory follows a long layoff after a wrist injury in April forced him to miss both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

The former World No. 1 grew comfortable as the match progressed, hammering his signature baseline winners in the first set. Alcaraz kept his foot on the gas throughout the match and quickly sealed the victory by taking the second set and closing out the third without surrendering a single set.

The straight-sets win is an ideal launchpad for his title defence as he works back to peak match sharpness. His return instantly boosts the excitement surrounding the tournament, reinforcing his favourite status in New York.

Alcaraz opens up about his injury layoff

After winning the match, Carlos Alcaraz recalled the four months he was off court, recovering from a wrist injury.

“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… as I said before the tournament, I couldn’t have decided to come back at a better tournament, here at the US Open, here in New York,” Alcaraz said.

“It’s a really special place for me, a special tournament for me,” added the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion. I tried to enjoy as much as I could. I missed the crowd, the energy, the competition. I missed everything, so I’m just really happy I was able to compete again,” he added.

Though he secured the win smoothly, Alcaraz conceded he initially held reservations regarding how his body would hold up over a long best-of-five format after months away from major competition, though his movement remained sharp throughout.

“I had a little bit of doubt (when it came to lasting a full ‘best-of-five’ match), but I tried to forget everything. I tried to enjoy, to be focused on the things that I had to do, on the things that I tried to improve, everything. Physically, I felt really well,” he added.

With Novak Djokovic out in the first round and Jannik Sinner unable to compete due to injury, Alcaraz will be the favourite to defend his title.

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