Carlos Alcaraz began his US Open campaign with a straight-sets win over Roman Safiullin on the Grand Slam’s second day, marking a successful return to competition after a wrist injury forced him out since April’s Barcelona Open.

The Spaniard needed only one match to remind the field why he remains among the favourites for the title, especially with Novak Djokovic already gone and Jannik Sinner absent from the draw. His reward is a second-round meeting with Jaime Faria, while the road ahead could become far more demanding if he keeps progressing.

Not everyone is fully convinced the tournament will unfold smoothly for him. Greg Rusedski remains wary of Alcaraz’s condition, but several other pundits have pointed to the ease of his New York start as a positive sign.

On Sky Sports’ US Open coverage, Martina Navratilova described the timing of Alcaraz’s comeback as a “perfect situation” after his five-month absence. She said the match did not overtax him and argued that the best-of-five format can work in his favour, provided his arm stays healthy.

“He was pushed but not too much, he is going to get better and the three out of five format really helps him here, as long as the arm doesn’t get hurt,” continued Navratilova.

“If it holds up, three out of five is great because it gives him a little cushion. He doesn’t have to stress about getting broken and the other guy has to play well for three of five sets and that gives him a chance to get into the tournament.

“You could see during the match that he became more comfortable and at the end he hit that unbelievable drop shot volley inside out. He is all back!”

Navratilova also recalled speaking to him backstage after he had secured his place in round two.

“I bumped into him in the hallway,” she added. “He is so happy to be back and see everybody, that’s what he said. You can see it. He is a competitor and a kid at heart.

“He is playing a sport for a living and he is phenomenal at it and what is not to love? It is so great to have him back.”

If Alcaraz gets through Faria, he would next face either James Duckworth or Wu Yibing. A possible fourth-round match against Alexander Bublik or Tommy Paul would provide a much sterner examination of his limited match practice.

Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka were supposed to meet in a compelling US Open second-round matchup, but both men exited in round one, ending that possibility before it began.

Djokovic’s departure was the more striking of the two. He was beaten by Mariano Navone in a demanding five-set match played in the New York heat, marking his first opening-round Grand Slam defeat since 2006. It was an unexpected setback for a player whose standards in the majors have remained among the sport’s highest for many years.

Wawrinka’s run also came to an end on the US Open stage, where Matteo Berrettini defeated him in straight sets on Grandstand. The Swiss, who won the title in 2016, is due to retire at the end of the season, making this his last US Open appearance. In his final post-match press conference at the tournament, the three-time Grand Slam champion was asked to assess Djokovic’s loss.

“I watched the match. It was, of course, a tough match. I think Navone is always a tough player to play, especially in those conditions and especially here. We saw it. He can really make it difficult,” said Wawrinka, before turning his attention to Djokovic’s health issues.

“Novak was struggling, we all saw, with something physically – we don’t know exactly what,” said Wawrinka about the man he’s met 27 times on the ATP Tour.

Even so, Wawrinka still sees Djokovic as a threat when the Grand Slams reach their decisive stages.

“I think in general if you look at the year he is having in Grand Slams, he is making finals, semi-finals. But I think as long as he is playing, he knows he is going to be really dangerous,” said the Swiss icon.

Wawrinka beat Djokovic in the 2015 Roland Garros final and again in the 2016 US Open final, but those wins were only part of a rivalry that has been overwhelmingly in Djokovic’s favor. Their head-to-head stands at 21-6 for Djokovic, who has also beaten Wawrinka at three of the four Grand Slams, plus the ATP Finals and in Davis Cup play for Serbia against Switzerland.

Novak Djokovic’s US Open campaign ended earlier than expected, with Mariano Navone eliminating him in the opening round after a five-set contest.

The Serbian had arrived in New York among the leading contenders, especially after Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal, but the Argentine proved too strong in a match that quickly turned into a difficult night for the former champion. It was Djokovic’s first Grand Slam opening-round exit since the Australian Open in 2006, when he lost to Paul Goldstein at 19.

The result also fed fresh speculation about his future, particularly after the emotional tone of his post-match remarks in New York. “When it comes to the match itself, and the overall feeling of how I felt with my body and playing, it was really not enjoyable,” Djokovic said following his defeat to Navone.

Even so, his next move appears to be settled. Djokovic is already on the entry list for the China Open, which begins on September 28th and also features Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The tournament has been a major source of success for him. Djokovic has won the Chinese event a record six times and last lifted the trophy in 2015, his most recent appearance there. Between 2009 and 2015, he claimed the title six times in seven editions, missing only 2011, when Tomas Berdych won. Across the event, he has compiled a perfect 29-0 record.

His summer has already been unsettled. Since losing to Sinner in the Wimbledon semi finals in July, Djokovic fell in the opening round at Cincinnati to Thiago Agustin Tirante before his US Open defeat.

Beyond the China Open, his only confirmed tournament in 2026 is the Six King Slams, the Saudi Arabia exhibition in October. That event starts on October 21st in Riyadh and includes Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Zverev, and Alex de Minaur.