Jessica Pegula suggested that Carlos Alcaraz’s choice to return from injury at the US Open may have been carefully planned by his camp.

Alcaraz has been out for four months after a wrist injury suffered at the Barcelona Open. Now he is set to step back into competition at Flushing Meadows, a decision that drew attention because a Grand Slam is an unusual place to restart after such a long break. Even so, the Spaniard says he believes he is ready to defend his title in New York.

“It is possible [to win it],” the seven-time major champion – who faces Roman Safiullin in the first round – said during his pre-tournament press conference.

“I think a lot of people have shown it. [Roger] Federer, [Rafael] Nadal, many people have shown that you can win a Grand Slam after having been injured for a long time or having had a very serious injury. So we’re going to try to hold on to that belief that I can too.”

Pegula, the world No 3, said she was initially surprised that he skipped Cincinnati but still chose to enter the US Open. She explained that the format may make the decision more workable for a player of his level.

“I think I was a little surprised that he didn’t play Cincy but then still played here [in the US Open] because of that. I was like, ‘Wow, that’s that’s a tough thing to do.’ But I think that he’s kind of a special player.

“Obviously, I think it maybe also a little bit different for the men, three out of five. I do think that it gives a little bit more leeway for him to work his way into matches where if it’s two out of three for, like for the women, I mean, that to me is a little bit tougher because you lose the first set and you come out a little rusty, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, like if I don’t win the second set, I’m out.’

“And so I think the men having more time with a three-out-of-five is probably something that makes me think, ‘okay, maybe it makes a little bit more sense for him to do that.

“But yeah, he’s a special player. I mean, he’s a super charismatic, friendly, outgoing person. I think that he’s going to feed off of the energy no matter what. I mean, I don’t think he’s forgotten how to play tennis, and I think if he can win his first couple of rounds, he’s going to find his form very, very fast.”

Novak Djokovic’s 2026 US Open began in the worst possible way, as he was beaten in the first round in New York for the first time in his career. The result also triggers a significant slide in the ATP Rankings.

With Jannik Sinner sidelined at Flushing Meadows because of a knee problem and Carlos Alcaraz still recovering from a wrist injury, Djokovic had been viewed by some as a leading contender for the season-ending major. Seeded fourth, he also appeared to have a workable section of the draw, with 16th seed Brandon Nakashima the highest-ranked player in his part of the bracket and a possible quarter-final meeting with seventh seed Daniil Medvedev or 11th seed Frances Tiafoe.

Few expected Mariano Navone to create serious trouble in the opening round. The Argentine was only making his third US Open appearance and had won just once at the event before this match.

Yet Navone pushed Djokovic early, taking the first set before the former world No 1 responded by winning the next two. Djokovic then seemed positioned to close it out after moving 2-1 ahead in the fourth set and earning an early break. But the world No 49 seized control from there, aided by Djokovic’s illness and lower back problem, and finished strongly by taking 11 of the last 12 games to complete a 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Navone will next face either Matteo Berrettini or Stan Wawrinka, while Djokovic heads home.

The defeat carries a major ranking cost. Djokovic reached the semi-final at Flushing Meadows 12 months ago, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in a 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 match that earned him 800 points. This year, a first-round exit is worth only 10 points, leaving him to drop 790 points overall.

He began the tournament at No 5 in the official rankings with 3,770 points, but has fallen six places to No 11 in the Live ATP Rankings, his lowest position in eight years, having last gone as low as No 21 in July 2018.

Prize money is unlikely to be a concern in the immediate aftermath, though Djokovic will still collect $140,000 for his first-round exit. His career earnings stand at $194,691,590, including $3,017,725 already earned in 2026.

Alexander Zverev has pushed back against being described as the main title favourite for the US Open, even as the draw opens up around him and Carlos Alcaraz prepares to return after a long spell away.

The German arrives in New York with a very different standing from a year ago. Since then, he has captured his first Grand Slam crown at the French Open and reached his maiden Wimbledon final in July. Those results have naturally sharpened the focus on his prospects at Flushing Meadows, especially after world No 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew because of lingering knee problems following his Wimbledon triumph.

Alcaraz, now ranked behind Zverev, has also been absent for four months because of a wrist injury, but the Spaniard is set to rejoin the tour in New York. Zverev, however, is not reading too much into the circumstances surrounding his rivals. He also admitted his own build-up has not been ideal, after losing early at both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open.

Even so, his US Open record remains strong. He has reached at least the quarter-finals in four of his last five appearances, and he made the final in 2020 before losing a five-set classic to Dominic Thiem after leading by two sets and a break.

“I still feel that I should have won in 2020; that hasn’t changed. Overall, of course, there is a certain level of satisfaction from finally winning a Grand Slam,” he analysed during his pre-tournament press conference.

“I think I’ve said it a million times. But you also realise something: once you win one, you want to win more. You want to keep moving forward, and you want to play your best tennis every time you step onto a court.

“I feel that I did that after Roland Garros, and then I didn’t do it in the last two tournaments.

“But I definitely feel that my game is coming back, and it’s been improving with every training session. I hope to show my best tennis here again.”

Zverev also rejected the idea that he should be treated as the clear favourite, saying the decisive name is the one left standing near the end of the event.

“I think being a seed is nice and shows that you have been playing well, but I think the most important thing is whose name appears at the end of the draw and who is still here in two weeks,” he added.

“I believe that’s the main objective for everyone in the draw. I feel like I’m just one of the 128 favourite players in the draw, nothing more.”

Asked about Alcaraz’s wrist issue, Zverev said the injuries are not comparable and suggested the Spaniard could need only a match or two to settle before becoming dangerous again.

“I know what you mean, but it’s very different because I think it’s a different injury,” Zverev stated.

“The wrist is never easy, that’s for sure.

“I know this because my brother also had a wrist injury, and it takes time to come back from something like that. I think mine was different because I tore seven ligaments and fractured two bones, so I had to undergo surgery.

“It took me a year to come back, so it was a bit different. I feel that he’s probably at the same physical level now, if not better, because surely over the last four or five months he has done a lot of physical work – something I couldn’t do because I couldn’t walk.

“I think he’ll be a bit rusty during the first or second match, but once he gets past that, I think he will be a title contender, for sure.”

Zverev begins his US Open campaign against Lorenzo Sonego.