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Alcaraz Survives Opelka’s Serve to Advance
Carlos Alcaraz, sporting a new shaved look, fought through a challenging opener against American Reilly Opelka, earning a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory late Monday night at the U.S. Open.
Opelka’s massive serve produced 14 aces, but his nine double faults proved costly. Alcaraz saved all three break points he faced and converted three of his own 11 opportunities, sealing the match just before midnight.
“Reilly is a great server, and I couldn’t always get my rhythm,” Alcaraz said. “But I think the return was one of the best parts of my game tonight.”
Draper Battles Past Gomez
Earlier, Britain’s Jack Draper, seeded fifth, fought past qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez in four sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (7), 6-2. Draper, playing his first singles match since Wimbledon, relied on a strong serve, winning over 81 percent of his first-serve points.
Gomez impressed with 50 winners and 15 aces, but his 46 unforced errors compared to Draper’s 23 tipped the match in favor of the Brit, who credited his team for getting him back on court after injury setbacks.
Top Seeds Progress on Day 1
While some favorites faced stiff challenges, several seeded players advanced comfortably.
| Player | Seed | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) | No. 2 | Def. Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 |
| Jack Draper (Great Britain) | No. 5 | Def. Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4, 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 |
| Karen Khachanov (Russia) | No. 9 | Def. Nishesh Basavareddy 6-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 |
| Holger Rune (Denmark) | No. 11 | Def. Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 |
| Casper Ruud (Norway) | No. 12 | Def. opponent in straight sets |
| Andrey Rublev (Russia) | No. 15 | Advanced in straight sets |
| Frances Tiafoe (United States) | No. 17 | Def. Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 |
Early Upsets Shake the Draw
The first round also delivered surprises, with a few seeded players exiting earlier than expected.
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Adam Walton (Australia) vs. Ugo Humbert (France) | Walton def. No. 22 Humbert 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 |
| Federico Comesana (Argentina) vs. Alex Michelsen (USA) | Comesana def. No. 28 Michelsen 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 |
| Flavio Cobolli (Italy) vs. Francesco Passaro (Italy) | Cobolli def. Passaro 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 |
| Gabriel Diallo (Canada) vs. Damir Dzumhur (Bosnia) | Diallo def. Dzumhur 7-6, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 |
What Comes Next
With Alcaraz looking sharp and Draper finding rhythm, the U.S. Open men’s draw is setting up for an intense second round. Bettors tracking player performance can explore U.S. Open odds and scores or dive into expert service plays to stay ahead of the competition.
