US Open 2026 Men’s Day 2

Carlos Alcaraz ended a four-and-a-half month injury exile with a resounding 6-4, 6-4, 6-4  defeat of Roman Safiullin on Monday at the US Open to mark his return to the courts after a wrist injury.

The defending champion now ranked third is hoping to become the first man to successfully defend the title here Roger Federer won US Open over five consecutive editions (2004-2008).

“For me it’s been a really tough five months. Being able to step on Arthur Ashe and being able to compete again.. as I said before the tournament, I couldn’t decide to come back in a better tournament than here in New York,” Alcaraz said.

“It’s a really special tenement for me. I tried to enjoy as much as I can. I missed it. I missed the crowd. The energy. I missed competition. I missed everything. 🥹 I’m just really really happy I was able to compete again.” 

“On this (Ashe) court, I made my dream. First major. First time becoming No. 1 in the world. 

“The warm welcome I receive every time I come here is crazy. I really appreciate it. I really feel the love from the people.”

One-time top 10 regular Stefanos Tsitsipas unleashed a major surprise on Cincinnati winner Arthur Fils with a turnaround 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-4 win as the French youngster failed to earn a two-set-to-love lead over the Greek.

“I don’t have the answer,” the 10th-seeded Fils said after his collapse in form. “Once the energy went down at the end of the second, I never felt again a good energy. 

“I have to talk with my team, but at my level, to do such a mistake is almost unprofessional.”

He added: “I was trying to fight; at one point I broke back early in the fourth, so I was trying to find a way, but not accurate enough on the serve.

“The ball was not going very well out of my racquet. Even if I was fighting, was tough.”

Fils had beaten No. 53 Tsitsipas in all five of heir previous matches 

The Greek, playing unseeded for the first time here, reaching the second round for the sixth time as he came from a set and 5-2 down.

Former ATP No. 3 Tsitsipas pronounced himself “speechless” at his success. “It’s an amazing start to the tournament, I’m very proud of myself.

“I’m taking it a day at a time. I don’t wanna be looking too far away. I prefer to stay grounded in the moment. A win like this today matters a lot to me.”

:French veteran Adrian Mannarino, aged 38, fought back from two sets to love down for only the second time in his career to advance past Thiago Tirante 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

The loss ended the dream of the 42nd-ranked Argentine who beat Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati second round last month as the Serb competed for the first time since Wimbledon at the pre-Open event.

The first-round match began on opening day but was interrupted by night-time rain and concluded on Monday. 

Andrey Rublev wore down lucky loser Otto Virtanen as the Finn cramped in the closing stages on the way to a 6-7 (5), 6-7 (0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Virtanen entered the draw as former champion Marin Cilic withdrew.