Aryna Sabalenka opened her US Open title defence with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Camila Osorio on Monday, extending her winning streak in opening-round major matches to 16 consecutive straight-sets wins. According to ESPN, Sabalenka's last opening-round loss at a Grand Slam came at the 2022 French Open. The defending champion is attempting to become the first player to win three consecutive US Open titles since Serena Williams claimed the crown from 2012 to 2014.
Sabalenka has reached the last three US Open finals, winning in 2024 and 2025 after losing to Coco Gauff in 2023. She arrived in New York seeking to rebuild momentum after a difficult stretch that saw her fail to reach a final since March, with early exits at Wimbledon, Toronto, and Cincinnati. Her performance against Osorio suggested a return to form, though her ranking position remains precarious; according to ESPN, No. 2 Elena Rybakina will surpass her in the standings if Rybakina reaches the semifinals, regardless of Sabalenka's result.
Alcaraz returns after four-month absence
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round, marking his return to competitive singles after withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in April with a wrist injury. Sky Sports reported that the injury did not require surgery but was severe enough to force Alcaraz to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon, leaving him sidelined for over four months. The seven-time Grand Slam champion showed few rust-related issues, saving two break points in his opening service games before breaking Safiullin in the eighth game of the first set and maintaining his level throughout.
Alcaraz was defending his 2025 US Open title. Sky Sports noted that he needed to manage his movement carefully early in the match but accelerated as the contest progressed, particularly in the third set, where he broke early and never faced another service break.
Other first-round winners advance
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova rallied from 5-2 down in the first set against Katie Volynets to win 7-5, 6-1, according to the Women's Tennis Association. Noskova saved two set points before reeling off five consecutive games to close the first set, then won 10 of the final 12 games overall. Karolina Muchova, the Wimbledon runner-up, defeated Sinja Kraus 6-3, 6-0 in 58 minutes. No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider beat Daria Snigur 6-0, 6-4, and No. 16 seed Sorana Cirstea, competing in what is expected to be her final US Open, defeated Julia Grabher 6-3, 6-0.
Zheng Qinwen earned her fourth consecutive main-draw win after advancing through qualifying, defeating 16-year-old Kristina Liutova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The WTA reported that Liutova had entered the tournament on a nine-match winning streak, but Zheng's experience proved decisive in the second and third sets. Zheng is projected to return to the top 100 rankings with another victory.
Sources
- ESPN: Aryna Sabalenka wins in straight sets to begin US Open defense. ESPN News Services, 2026-08-31.
- Sky Sports: US Open 2026: Carlos Alcaraz impresses on return from injury. Sky Sports, 2026-09-01.
- Women's Tennis Association: Noskova survives slow start; Muchova rolls into US Open second round. WTA, 2026-09-01.
- Tennisuptodate.com: US Open WTA Day Two Round-Up. Tennisuptodate.com, 2026-09-01.
Reported from public sources.