New York, September 1: Carlos Alcaraz made a stunning return to the US Open singles after a long injury layoff. He defeated Roman Safiullin with a score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in his opening match. Meanwhile, former champion Stan Wawrinka’s journey ended in the first round with a loss.
After a four-month hiatus, Alcaraz faced a setback in mixed doubles alongside Serena Williams but showcased his exceptional form in singles, decisively overcoming Safiullin.
Wawrinka faced Matteo Berrettini in the first round, losing 7-6(4), 7-6(3), 6-0. This defeat marked the end of Wawrinka’s Grand Slam career, as he had already announced his retirement from tennis following the 2026 season. He won the US Open singles title in 2016.
American number one Ben Shelton also made a remarkable comeback after a slow start, defeating Tallon Griekspoor 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2. After losing the first set, Shelton turned the match around, continuing his strong performance following a recent title defense in Canada.
Stefanos Tsitsipas delivered the day’s most impressive comeback, rallying from a set and a break down to defeat 10th seed Arthur Fils 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4. The Greek player halted Fils’ six-match winning streak with 50 winners and will face qualifier Lloyd Harris in the next round.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, a two-time semifinalist at the US Open and third seed, began the tournament with a significant victory over Rinky Hijikata, winning 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. After losing the second set, play was suspended for nearly an hour due to rain. However, when the match resumed, Auger-Aliassime quickly regained his rhythm and took control.
With 300 career tour-level wins just two victories away, the Montreal native faced a tense moment in the fourth set, losing two match points while serving at 5-4. Nevertheless, he bounced back to finish the match before sealing the first-round win. The 26-year-old’s next opponent will be Karen Khachanov, who easily defeated Roman Andres Buruchaga 6-3, 6-0, 6-1.
American Sebastian Korda, ranked 731, also had an exciting five-set battle, saving five match points to triumph over Rafael Collignon in a match that lasted nearly four hours, with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(9).
Brandon Nakashima continued his impressive summer with a stunning 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 victory over Sebastian Baez, hitting 34 winners in just 89 minutes. He will next face California’s Alex Michelsen, who defeated Federico Sina 6-4, 6-1, 6-0. The 14th seed, Learner Tien, recorded his first US Open win by beating Nuno Borges 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.
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