Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open Return: Pain-Free, Tested and Through in Straight Sets

Carlos Alcaraz’s first US Open match after a right-wrist injury layoff delivered the most important early answer: he was able to play without pain. The defending champion and No. 2 seed beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium in his first singles appearance in 139 days. 346

A winning return after more than four months out

Alcaraz had not played singles since April because of his right-wrist problem, making his opening-round match a significant fitness test as well as the start of his title defence. He completed the match in two hours and 22 minutes, advancing without dropping a set. 36

The Spaniard said he felt both nerves and excitement on returning to Arthur Ashe, but his overriding emotion was relief at being able to compete again. Afterward, he said: “It’s pain free right now, I felt great.” He added that, from his perspective, he was “hitting normal” and playing his usual style. 614

That was the clearest positive from the afternoon: no reported wrist pain and no obvious inability to use his forehand freely. Reuters reported that more than 20 of Alcaraz’s forehand winners came in his first match back. 3

Why the 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 score was tighter than it looked

Three identical 6-4 sets can imply a routine win, but Safiullin made Alcaraz work for the decisive points. Alcaraz won total points by only 99 to 91, an eight-point margin across the match. He was more effective on break opportunities, converting four of seven while Safiullin converted one of six. 34

That combination explains the outcome: Safiullin stayed close often enough to keep every set competitive, while Alcaraz was sharper when service games and break chances mattered most. It was a controlled return, not a completely one-sided one.

What the match said—and did not say—about Alcaraz’s fitness

For a player returning after nearly five months away, a pain-free straight-sets win was a strong first indication. Alcaraz said he expected his level to improve as the tournament progressed, and described being able to put doubts about his fitness aside as an important part of the victory. 16

Still, one match cannot settle the broader question of durability. A US Open title defence requires repeated best-of-five-set performances over two weeks, and the demands on his wrist, serve and forehand would increase as the draw progressed. His opening result removed an immediate concern; it did not eliminate the need to monitor his recovery.

Other notable first-round results

On the women’s side, top seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka began her bid for a third straight US Open title with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Colombia’s Camila Osorio. 410

Amanda Anisimova, the previous year’s runner-up, also made a convincing start. The American beat fellow American Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 6-3. 17

Reports included in the supplied material also noted 16-year-old Kristina Liutova’s three-set defeat to Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, but the available cited sources do not provide independently verifiable match details for that result.