Carlos Alcaraz will begin his US Open title defence with an immediate test. The second seed faces Roman Safiullin, the Wimbledon giant-killer who arrives in New York with a recent Grand Slam run and a victory over the Spaniard already on his record.
The US Open main draw begins Sunday, but Thursday’s draw ceremony had already created plenty of intrigue. Alcaraz has not played a singles match since April after a right wrist injury forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.
His comeback came alongside Serena Williams in the mixed doubles event. That outing showed flashes of his quality, but it also exposed some rust that Safiullin could punish.
The Russian reached the Wimbledon fourth round after stunning Andrey Rublev and Joao Fonseca. His run ended against Novak Djokovic, but his history with Alcaraz adds another layer to their opening-round clash.
Safiullin beat Alcaraz at the Paris Masters in 2023. Alcaraz answered at the Paris Olympics a year later, leaving their head-to-head record level at one win each.
At the top of the draw, Alexander Zverev steps in as the No. 1 seed after Jannik Sinner withdrew with a knee injury. The French Open champion opens against Lorenzo Sonego, while Djokovic begins against Learner Tien.
There is also a fascinating path for Stan Wawrinka. The 2016 US Open champion is playing his final Grand Slam before retirement and faces Matteo Berrettini in a first-round meeting between two major finalists.
The women’s draw has its own drama. Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka starts against Camila Osorio, while Coco Gauff could meet French Open champion Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.
Then came the draw that stopped New York in its tracks. Venus Williams, handed a wild card at 46, was drawn against Sofia Kenin, creating a match that could have been a Williams sisters reunion if Serena had chosen singles over doubles.
Instead, the US Open gets Venus against Kenin. For Alcaraz, however, the mission is clear: survive Safiullin first, then begin another charge for New York glory.
