Carlos Alcaraz lights up US Open on long-awaited return to singles action

Carlos Alcaraz marked his return to competitive tennis with an emphatic straight-sets victory over Roman Safiullin in the first round of the US Open.

The Spanish player won 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in his first singles match for 139 days, ending a lengthy absence caused by a wrist injury that had kept him out of action since April.

There had been considerable uncertainty over Alcaraz’s condition and whether he would be able to rediscover his level quickly enough for one of the sport’s biggest events. However, the 22-year-old looked sharp throughout his opening match and produced an assured performance in front of a welcoming crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz made particularly effective use of one of his biggest weapons, his powerful forehand. He struck more than 20 winners with the shot and repeatedly put Safiullin under pressure from the back of the court. He also converted break points at important moments to prevent the Russian from building any sustained momentum.

The first set was decided by a single break of serve in the seventh game. Alcaraz created the opening with a forceful forehand and then protected his own serve during the most important stages of the set to take the lead.

He made a less comfortable start to the second set after dropping his serve. The Spaniard responded immediately, breaking Safiullin in the third game before moving ahead again in the seventh with a precise shot that landed on the line. That gave Alcaraz another 6-4 set and placed him one away from victory.

The third set was more firmly controlled by Alcaraz, whose attacking play continued to trouble Safiullin. Another powerful forehand brought a break of serve, and he was able to maintain his advantage until the match was secured in three consecutive sets.

Afterwards, Alcaraz spoke about the difficulty of being away from competition for so long.

“The last five months have been really difficult for me. I missed the competition and the fans and the energy. I missed competing, I missed everything,” he said.

Alcaraz had made a brief return to action in the mixed doubles last week, partnering Serena Williams as part of his preparation for the tournament. He then received a strong reception from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd as he stepped back into Grand Slam singles competition.

Despite the convincing result, Alcaraz admitted that the match had not been entirely free of doubt.

“There were some doubts during the match, I’m not going to lie. I tried to forget everything and tried to enjoy it,” he said.

The victory sends Alcaraz through to the second round of the US Open, where he will face Portugal’s Jaime Faria. That match will provide another opportunity to assess how fully he has recovered his form following his extended spell on the sidelines.