Alcaraz Returns From Injury, Wins US Open First Round

Carlos Alcaraz made a successful return to singles competition at the US Open on Monday, defeating Roman Safiullin in straight sets in his first match since a wrist injury sidelined him in April. The defending champion, who had been out for over four months, won 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium, advancing to the second round where he will face Portugal's Jaime Faria on Wednesday, September 2. Alcaraz, who had missed both Roland Garros and Wimbledon due to the injury, admitted to having doubts during the match but expressed relief at his physical performance. "It's been a really tough five months for me, so being able to step into Arthur Ashe and compete again, I could not have decided to come back in a better tournament than here at the US Open," he said in an on-court interview. "I missed the crowd, the energy, the competition. I missed everything. I'm just really happy I was able to compete again." The Spaniard wore a protective sleeve on his right serving arm but showed no obvious signs of discomfort. According to tournament data, his average first serve speed was 112 mph and his second serve was 97 mph.