Alcaraz Returns and Sabalenka Chases History at US Open
Both defending champions open their US Open campaigns on Monday, with Carlos Alcaraz playing his first singles match in more than four months and Aryna Sabalenka beginning an attempt to win the title for a third consecutive year.
Sabalenka starts the day session on Arthur Ashe Stadium against Colombia's Camila Osorio at 11:30am local time, with Alcaraz following against Russia's Roman Safiullin.
Alcaraz Back After Wrist Injury
Alcaraz has not played a singles match since Barcelona in April, when a right wrist injury ended his tournament and went on to cost him the French Open and Wimbledon. He returned to the court last week in mixed doubles alongside Serena Williams, reaching the quarter-finals before losing to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli.
The Spaniard is seeded second despite being ranked third, a consequence of Jannik Sinner withdrawing on 21 August with a knee injury. It is the first major Sinner has missed since his debut at the 2019 US Open. Alexander Zverev, who won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in June, inherits the top seeding and opens against Lorenzo Sonego on Tuesday.
Alcaraz is chasing a third US Open title after wins in 2022 and 2025, and an eighth Grand Slam overall. His opening opponent is ranked 98th but carries a warning from recent history. Safiullin beat Alcaraz at the Paris Masters in 2023 when the Spaniard was ranked second in the world, and made a strong run at Wimbledon this summer while Alcaraz was sidelined. Their head-to-head record stands at 1-1, with Alcaraz winning their other meeting at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Should he progress, Alcaraz could meet Arthur Fils or Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals and Novak Djokovic in the semis. Djokovic, still seeking a record 25th major, came through his opening match on Sunday.
Sabalenka Seeks a Three-Peat
Sabalenka is attempting something no woman has managed at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012 to 2014. She has won the past two editions and enters as the top seed for an eighth consecutive major.
Her form arriving in New York is less convincing than her record suggests. Sabalenka has not won a title since completing the Indian Wells and Miami double in the spring, and endured a difficult North American hard-court swing that included an early exit in Cincinnati.
Osorio presents an awkward opening test. The Colombian is a stubborn defender from the baseline capable of extending rallies, though she has not won consecutive matches at any event since Roland Garros.
Sabalenka's projected path includes a possible quarter-final against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and a potential semi-final against Jessica Pegula, who came through her own opener on Sunday with a straight-sets win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
The Rest of Monday
The day also features one of the better first-round matches in the men's draw, with Arthur Fils meeting Stefanos Tsitsipas. Fils arrives having won his maiden Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati earlier this month.
Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek, Sloane Stephens and Stan Wawrinka are also scheduled, alongside Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe.
This year's tournament carries a record total player compensation of $108 million, up 20 percent on last year. Each singles champion receives $5.5 million, while a first-round exit is worth $140,000. The women's final is on 12 September and the men's final on 13 September.
