NEW YORK, SEP 1 (IANS): Carlos Alcaraz made a triumphant return to singles competition at the US Open, easing past Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in his first match since April. The defending champion, sidelined for four months with a wrist injury, looked sharp and composed as he began his title defence. His comeback followed a brief appearance in mixed doubles alongside Serena Williams last week, but this was his first singles outing in nearly five months.
Stan Wawrinka, meanwhile, bid farewell to Flushing Meadows in emotional fashion. The 41-year-old Swiss, who won the US Open in 2016, lost 7-6(4), 7-6(3), 6-0 to Matteo Berrettini in what was his final Grand Slam appearance. Wawrinka fought valiantly in the first two sets before Berrettini pulled away decisively in the third, closing the curtain on a storied career.
American No. 1 Ben Shelton thrilled the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd with a spirited comeback against Tallon Griekspoor. After dropping the opening set 1-6, Shelton rebounded to win 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2, continuing his strong form after defending his Canadian Open title earlier this month.
Stefanos Tsitsipas produced one of the standout performances of the day, 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 struck 50 winners to halt Fils’ six-match winning streak, setting up a second-round clash with qualifier Lloyd Harris.
Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime also advanced, overcoming Rinky Hijikata 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a rain-interrupted contest. The Canadian, twice a semi-finalist in New York, regained control after a one-hour delay and closed out the match despite letting slip two match points in the fourth set. He next faces Karen Khachanov, who cruised past Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-3, 6-0, 6-1.
Elsewhere, American Sebastian Gorzny, ranked No. 731, pulled off a remarkable five-set win over Raphael Collignon, saving five match points before prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(9) in nearly four hours. Brandon Nakashima continued his excellent summer with a commanding 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 victory over Sebastian Baez, while fellow Californian Alex Michelsen defeated Federico Cina 6-4, 6-1, 6-0. Fourteenth seed Learner Tien also celebrated his maiden US Open win, beating Nuno Borges 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.
Swiatek, Anisimova, Muchova cruise into Rd 2
Iga Swiatek extended her remarkable record in Grand Slam openers, defeating Wang Xiyu 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 28 minutes. The world No. 1 has now won 28 consecutive first-round matches at majors, her only loss coming at Wimbledon in 2019.
Amanda Anisimova celebrated her birthday with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Ashlyn Krueger, booking a second-round clash with Austrian teenager Lilli Tagger. Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova staged a dramatic turnaround against Katie Volynets, recovering from 2-5 down in the first set to win 7-5, 6-1, claiming 11 of the last 12 games.
Karolina Muchova faced little resistance, dispatching Sinja Kraus 6-3, 6-0 in under an hour. Diana Shnaider and Sorana Cirstea also advanced comfortably, while Zheng Qinwen continued her resurgence with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 comeback win over 16-year-old qualifier Kristina Liutova.
Former champion Sloane Stephens impressed with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Clara Tauson, her first Grand Slam main-draw win since Wimbledon 2024.
The day also saw notable upsets. Cristina Bucsa stunned No. 28 seed Sara Bejlek 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 despite a poor run of form leading into the tournament. Taylor Townsend upset Roland Garros finalist and No. 20 seed Maja Chwalinska 6-2, 6-3. Rising star Lilli Tagger, just 18, earned her first Grand Slam main-draw win by defeating Tamara Korpatsch 6-0, 7-6(4).
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka overcame some patchy moments to beat Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-4, keeping her title defence intact.
Osaka survives Zakharova scare, enters Round 2
Naomi Osaka began her quest for a third US Open crown with a hard-fought straight-sets victory over Anastasia Zakharova. The Japanese star, champion in 2018 and 2020, was pushed to two tiebreaks before prevailing 7-6(6), 7-6(3) in just over two hours.
Osaka appeared in control in both sets, leading 5-2 in the first and 5-3 in the second, but Zakharova rallied each time to force breakers. Osaka held her nerve, taking the first 8-6 and the second 7-3 to secure her passage.
The win extended Osaka’s productive Grand Slam season, marking her 10th major victory of 2026. It is the first time since 2019 that she has reached double figures in Slam wins. Her serve was pivotal, delivering 11 aces — 10 in the second set alone — including one on match point. She has now surpassed 200 aces this season, becoming only the ninth player to achieve the milestone.
Osaka’s hard-court record this year stands at 11 wins, bolstered by semifinal and quarterfinal runs in Washington, D.C. and Toronto. She next faces Katerina Siniakova, who defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-2. Osaka leads their head-to-head 2-1, with victories in Doha (2018) and Wimbledon (2025), while Siniakova’s lone win came at Roland Garros in 2019.