Former world No 4 Greg Rusedski has given Carlos Alcaraz high marks after the Spaniard returned to action with a straight-set win at the 2026 US Open.

Alcaraz beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday, producing a controlled opening-round performance in his first singles match since suffering a right wrist injury at the Barcelona Open more than four months ago. The 23-year-old is the defending US Open champion and remains on course for a third title at the hard-court major.

On his Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, the 1997 US Open finalist said Alcaraz’s comeback was “very impressive.” But he also stressed that the draw worked in the Spaniard’s favor, saying he was “very fortunate” not to be forced into a longer match.

“Well, the thing which we’re all concerned about, and all the players and people have talked about it is: you usually start on a two or three set match,” said the 1997 US Open finalist.

“Let’s be honest, he was very fortunate that it was a straight-set match. If that went four or five sets, [and] it was a physical match…

“Imagine if he got someone like [Mariano] Navone who played against [Novak] Djokovic, who’s like the human wall, runs all day, you can’t make a hole through. But Safiullin can be flaky at times, he can get very nervous and we can see him miss balls he should make, and the tension got to him.

“So, this was the perfect opener for him. The test for Alcaraz is going to be when he gets pushed in a very physical, long match that goes four or five sets.

“Will the wrist hold up? Because he doesn’t have that catalogue of work, you can train and practise as much as you want, but at the end of the day, you can’t replicate those five-hour, six-hour matches that go deep, that you have to go back-to-back sometimes at Slams.

“But from my point of view, very impressive comeback, nothing but a compliment to him and his team for what he’s done in that opening round, and the only question mark is, how is the wrist today? How’s the wrist going to be in the next match? And will he be able to continue this role in a three out of five set tournament?

“That’s the shocking thing for all of us is, because most normal humans — which he’s not normal — would start with at least a two out of three set events and play it a little bit more cautiously than saying, ‘Here, I’m back at a major, I’m going straight in for the toughest test in tennis.’

Alex Eala has been working with Toni Nadal ahead of her opening US Open match, bringing one of tennis’s most respected coaching voices into her practice sessions in New York.

Toni Nadal, the uncle of 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, was central to the development of his nephew from the junior ranks into one of the sport’s all-time greats. His presence now around Eala underlines the standing he still holds inside a player’s team.

Eala came through the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca, where Toni has also helped shape an academy that has produced several notable professionals in recent seasons. Casper Ruud, Jaume Munar, Martin Landaluce and Coleman Wong have all reached the ATP top 100 after time at the academy. On the WTA Tour, Argentina’s Solana Sierra and Alina Korneeva have also moved into the top 100 after emerging from the same setting.

Eala appears to be the strongest candidate yet to become the academy’s biggest breakthrough, and Toni seems eager to offer her guidance as she prepares to contest a Grand Slam as a contender for the first time.

Former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has been among her supporters, and on the latest edition of his podcast he praised Toni Nadal’s involvement while expecting a direct approach from the coach.

“Well, I think he’ll be direct and that’s what everybody respects,” declared Rusedski.

He added that the pair likely already have a solid working relationship from the academy, and stressed the importance of honesty, transparency, and keeping communication aligned with the player. Rusedski also said, “Having a guy who has won so many majors with his nephew in your team can only be good news for Eala.”

Rusedski then pointed to Eala’s history of record-breaking progress and said she could go on to win multiple Grand Slam titles. He described her as a major story for tennis, for the WTA, and for her country, and finished by calling her “the biggest star in women’s tennis right now, no question.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas delivered a notably direct reaction when asked about Nick Kyrgios’ positive test for cocaine, offering an answer that was far from guarded.

Former world No 13 Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency after failing a dope test at the Mallorca Championships in June this year. The Australian later addressed the issue on social media, writing “I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it” and adding that he would “do the work and come back better”. He now faces a possible ban of up to four years, the maximum penalty for an anti-doping violation.

Tsitsipas, however, suggested the case was not simply an isolated lapse. Speaking in a post-match press conference after his opening-round victory over Arthur Fils at the US Open, he was asked: “How did you react when you heard about Nick Kyrgios’ suspension for doping? Did it surprise you?”

After a pause, Tsitsipas said: “I don’t know what to tell you. I mean, to be entirely honest with you, I knew about this before the announcement. Myself, I knew about it.

“So what can I tell you? I will just tell you the truth. I knew about all of this before any announcement was made, and when I saw it on social media, I was, like, ‘here we go’. I kind of expected it, to be honest.”

When asked again, “Did you know about this from before?”, he responded: “I knew that those were things that were happening away from the tennis courts, I will tell you that.

“I’m not going to try and cover up someone that I know the truth for. I’ll consider myself a nice person with everyone, but these were behaviours that I personally heard on the tour and heard other people in that same environment saying those sort of things to me.

“Again, when I saw it, I was like, well, pretty much expected to be honest. I am surprised it came so late though.”

Kyrgios has also faced scrutiny because he previously criticised Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and Simona Halep after their own failed dope tests and subsequent bans.