Carlos Alcaraz makes successful return at US Open
Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he battled doubts over whether his body would survive five sets after making an impressive return from injury at the US Open, reports BritPanorama.
The reigning champion had not played a competitive singles match since suffering a right wrist problem at the Barcelona Open on April 14. However, Alcaraz showed few signs of rust as he dispatched world No 99 Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The Spaniard required two hours and 22 minutes to book his place in the second round at Flushing Meadows, where he is seeded second despite entering the tournament as the world No 3. It was a commanding display from Alcaraz against a potentially dangerous opponent following more than four months away from competition.
The 23-year-old surrendered his serve just once, falling 2-0 behind at the beginning of the second set, but responded immediately by breaking Safiullin back. A single break proved decisive in both the opening and final sets as the seven-time Grand Slam champion completed a straight-sets victory.
Alcaraz revealed afterwards that he had been unsure how his wrist and overall fitness would cope with the demands of a best-of-five-set match. “This has been a really tough five months,” he said during his on-court interview. “To be able to step onto Arthur Ashe and compete again means so much. I couldn’t have picked a better tournament than here in New York.”
He reflected on the atmosphere, stating, “It’s a really special place and tournament for me. I missed the crowd, the energy, and the competition. I’m just really happy I was able to get back out there and compete again.” Despite his composed exterior, Alcaraz admitted that thoughts of potentially enduring a grueling fourth or fifth set occasionally crossed his mind.
“There were some doubts in the match, I’m not going to lie,” he shared. “Thinking about if I would last the match, best of five, playing four or five sets. I had a little bit of doubt, but I tried to forget everything and focus on the things I needed to improve.” Despite the uncertainty, he noted, “physically I felt really well.”
Although satisfied with his performance, Alcaraz acknowledged a need for improvement after such a lengthy absence. “The level of tennis has got to be better. I’m happy with the level I played in my first official match in four months,” he added. “I’m proud about it. But I need more matches under the belt, get into the rhythm of the tournament. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get better and better after every day.” Finally, he emphasized the importance of mental resilience, stating, “I’m most proud of mentally being able to deal with the nerves and doubts.”
Alcaraz will now lock horns with Jaime Faria on Thursday, aiming to build on his strong opening performance.
