Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz reacts after beating Roman Safiullin within the first spherical of the US Open. Picture: AFP
NEW YORK:
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz did not miss a beat as he returned from a four-month damage absence with a straight-sets first-round victory within the US Open on Monday.
Out of motion with a wrist damage since April, Alcaraz handed his first check with flying colours, beating Russian Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the place ladies’s defending champion Aryna Sabalenka additionally made it safely into the second spherical.
“It has been a extremely robust 5 months for me,” Alcaraz mentioned. “With the ability to step on the Arthur Ashe, with the ability to compete once more, I could not resolve to come back again in a greater match. It is a actually particular place for me.”
“I attempted to take pleasure in as a lot as I can,” he added. “I missed the gang, I missed the vitality, I missed competitors. I missed the whole lot.”
Alcaraz is making an attempt to bookend his season with Grand Slam titles after his Australian Open triumph in January made him the youngest man to finish a profession Grand Slam.
Monday’s efficiency won’t have been peak Alcaraz, however the seven-time Grand Slam champion unleashed his highly effective forehand with rising confidence and displayed his acquainted contact on the web.
“I feel the extent of tennis goes to be higher for certain,” mentioned Alcaraz, who mentioned he was most proud that he was in a position to quell his personal doubts about his health.
“I attempted to overlook the whole lot, I attempted to take pleasure in,” he mentioned.
Alcaraz’s clean transfer into the second spherical got here lower than 24 hours after ailing Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit in 20 years, falling in 5 brutal units to Mariano Navone.
The match was already lacking top-ranked Jannik Sinner, absent with a nasty knee, and Djokovic’s exit eliminated one other attainable impediment for Alcaraz, who may have met the Serb celebrity within the semi-finals.
Aggressive Sabalenka
Sabalenka’s bid for a uncommon US Open three-peat comes amid a worrying drop in type, however the Belarusian star rose to the event in a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Camila Osorio.
She was slowed by 23 unforced errors however belted 32 winners to greater than compensate, her thunderous groundstrokes proving sufficient to see off a counter-punching opponent who stepped up her recreation within the second set.
“She introduced the combat,” Sabalenka mentioned. “She battled very well and I simply tried to remain as aggressive as attainable.
“I feel I performed nice. She’s a troublesome opponent, makes you’re employed actually laborious to get each level, so I am blissful that I used to be in a position to shut the match in straight units,” she added.
Sabalenka hasn’t reached a remaining since capturing the celebrated “Sunshine Double” of Indian Wells and Miami again in March.
Poland’s six-time Grand Slam singles champion Iga Swiatek sailed into the second spherical with a straight units victory over China’s Wang Xiyu.
Eighth-seeded Swiatek, who defeated Sabalenka on the way in which to her lone US Open triumph in 2022, eased previous Wang 6-2, 6-3 in 1hr 28min.
“It was a great day within the workplace,” Swiatek mentioned afterwards. “I felt fairly good proper from the start and I had the vitality and the depth. I need to maintain it that manner.”
Elsewhere Frenchman Arthur Fils, flying excessive after his first ATP Masters title in Cincinnati, was introduced again to earth by Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, 6-4.
Tsitsipas bagged his first win over 22-year-old Fis in six encounters.
“I’m speechless, I do not know what to say,” mentioned Tsitsipas, a former high 5 participant who has slumped to 53 on the planet. “It is an incredible begin to the match.”
With top-seeded German Alexander Zverev resulting from open his marketing campaign on Tuesday, Monday night time’s showcourt motion on Ashe noticed American eighth seed Ben Shelton overcome a rocky begin earlier than reserving his place within the second spherical with a four-set defeat of the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor.
Shelton regarded out of kinds as Griekspoor roared by way of the primary set with three breaks of serve to win 6-1.
However Shelton turned the tables to attain a 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 victory in 2hr 35min.
“Began off with somewhat little bit of nerves tonight, however I discovered my rhythm,” Shelton mentioned.
The ultimate recreation on the Ashe court docket sees Naomi Osaka, whose 4 Grand Slam titles embrace two US Opens, tackle Anastasia Zakharova.