Carlos Alcaraz opened his singles campaign at the US Open with a straight-sets victory over Roman Safiullin, booking his place in the second round in New York.

It was a welcome return to competitive action for the Spaniard, who had not played since April after hurting his wrist at the Barcelona Open. His comeback unfolded without complication as he beat the Russian 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 and moved on to face Jaime Faria next.

The result may not have brought the sternest examination Alcaraz is likely to encounter later in the tournament, but it offered a clear first indication that his status as one of the favourites is justified.

Brad Gilbert has already offered a positive read on the performance. Speaking on The Big T Podcast, the American coach said: “I was very impressed with his movement, [he] didn’t look rusty.

“Safiullin is the kind of guy who plays big, and he’s like one of those guys, he can go away for two years, not do anything, he made the round of 16 at Wimbledon, he’s a dangerous player. So I thought that was a great start.

“If you’d told me that match went five sets, I was kind of expecting him at some point to maybe struggle in that match. I need to see him in a few matches before I can really make an assessment.”

Gilbert also suggested that another couple of strong outings could alter the atmosphere around Alcaraz in the locker room.

“If he starts to play like that and get a couple of matches under his belt, I think that all of a sudden in the locker room, the view might change a little bit, that like: ‘Uh-oh, he’s not here just to compete, he’s here to win it’. So I do think it was a very positive start for him.”

The win also extended an impressive run for Alcaraz. It was his 15th straight hardcourt victory at Grand Slams, built on titles at the 2026 Australian Open and the 2025 US Open.

That makes him the youngest player to reach 15 consecutive hardcourt Grand Slam wins in 32 years, since Pete Sampras did the same in the 1994 ATP Tour season.

Alcaraz has now won 25 of his first 28 matches at the US Open. In Open Era history, only Arthur Ashe, with 28, and John McEnroe, with 27, have managed as many wins at the event in as few matches.

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.

John McEnroe has renewed the debate over match-day routine, saying tennis should move on from the five-minute on-court warmup before play begins. Speaking at the 2026 US Open in his role as a commentator and analyst for ESPN, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion said the sport needs to keep evolving rather than clinging to habits that no longer help the product.

In remarks made to journalists at Flushing Meadows, the former world No 1 was direct about the change he wants to see. “The on-court warm-up should be abolished immediately,” said the 67-year-old American.

He added that the issue is not whether players are prepared, but whether the routine still serves a purpose. “Players are already warmed up when they walk onto the court.”

McEnroe, who won 77 singles titles and 78 doubles titles, said tennis does not need sweeping reform, but it does need movement. “The changes don’t have to be enormous, but there does need to be development,” McEnroe added.

He also argued that lengthy matches and long pauses can test the patience of viewers. “It is difficult for people to sit in front of the television for hours. There weren’t even tiebreaks in the past. Until then, for example, the opening set of a match could end 28-26.”

McEnroe is not alone in questioning the warmup. During this year’s Wimbledon Championships, former British No 1 Kyle Edmund said eliminating it would help the sport’s presentation and reduce what he sees as wasted time.

Carlos Alcaraz, however, would likely disagree with the proposed change. The Spanish player was critical of the one-minute warmup rule at the 2021 ATP Next Gen Finals, where he was champion, and said more time is needed to get ready properly before a match.