Sabalenka Restores Order at US Open as Alcaraz Begins Long-Awaited New York Comeback

Aryna Sabalenka began her bid for a historic US Open three-peat with a straight-sets victory over Camila Osorio on Monday, bringing a measure of order back to a tournament that had already been shaken by Novak Djokovic’s first-round exit and Jannik Sinner’s absence.

Sabalenka defeated Osorio 6-4, 6-4 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach the second round and extend an extraordinary run in New York that has already produced two consecutive titles and three straight final appearances.

Her victory opened the headline schedule on Day 2 before defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz stepped onto the same court for his first singles match since April.

That return carries almost as much intrigue as Sabalenka’s title defense.

Alcaraz has spent four months away from singles competition because of a right wrist injury. He returned briefly during US Open mixed doubles, but Monday’s first-round match against Roman Safiullin represents the real test of whether the defending champion can rediscover Grand Slam rhythm quickly enough to defend his crown.

The timing could hardly be more significant.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is not playing because of a knee injury. Djokovic is already out after his five-set defeat to Mariano Navone. The men’s draw that once appeared dominated by three familiar names has been disrupted before the second round is even complete.

Sabalenka, meanwhile, is pursuing something that has not been achieved at the US Open since Serena Williams won three consecutive women’s singles titles from 2012 through 2014.

Monday therefore began with one defending champion taking the first required step and another finally returning to the competition that may define the closing months of his season.

US Open Day 2: What Has Happened So Far

Storyline	Status
Aryna Sabalenka vs Camila Osorio	Sabalenka won 6-4, 6-4
Sabalenka’s goal	Third consecutive US Open title
Carlos Alcaraz	Returning to singles after four months out
Alcaraz opponent	Roman Safiullin
Jannik Sinner	Withdrawn with knee injury
Novak Djokovic	Eliminated in first round by Mariano Navone
Other Day 2 headliners	Ben Shelton, Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek, Frances Tiafoe, Arthur Fils

The official US Open Day 2 guide identified Sabalenka’s title defense and Alcaraz’s return as the central daytime storylines, while the ATP Tour’s official Monday schedule confirms the full lineup across Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Sabalenka Begins the Three-Peat Chase Without Drama

Sabalenka’s opening match mattered because her summer has not looked like the preparation normally associated with a dominant defending champion.

She arrived in New York as the world No. 1 and the winner of the last two US Open titles, but her form since Wimbledon has been uneven.

She exited both Toronto and Cincinnati in the fourth round after also falling in the fourth round at Wimbledon.

For a player who has built much of her recent dominance around physical authority and first-strike tennis, those results introduced uncertainty before the final Grand Slam of the year.

Our Cincinnati women’s analysis examined how Sabalenka left Ohio with more questions than answers while Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek were building momentum around her.

New York required a cleaner start.

She got one.

Osorio made Sabalenka work through both sets, but the defending champion controlled the decisive phases and avoided the kind of early-round complication that can drain energy across a two-week major.

The result was not spectacular.

It did not need to be.

For Sabalenka, Round 1 was about restoring rhythm, protecting the title defense and avoiding the chaos that had already consumed one of the biggest names in the men’s draw.

Sabalenka Is Chasing Rare US Open History

Winning another title would place Sabalenka in a very small group.

The official US Open historical analysis notes that only Chris Evert and Serena Williams have completed a women’s singles three-peat at Flushing Meadows during the Open Era.

Several great champions tried and failed.

Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Venus Williams, Monica Seles and Kim Clijsters are among the players who won consecutive titles but could not complete a third straight championship.

Sabalenka knows exactly how difficult the task is.

She lost the 2023 final to Coco Gauff before winning in 2024 and successfully defending the title in 2025.

That gives her three consecutive finals in New York and a level of recent familiarity with Arthur Ashe Stadium that nobody else in the women’s field can match.

Her first-round win extends that relationship for at least one more match.

The Ranking Pressure Behind Sabalenka’s Title Defense

The stakes extend beyond the trophy.

Sabalenka’s No. 1 ranking is under pressure.

Her inconsistent summer has allowed Elena Rybakina and other challengers to close the gap, making the US Open potentially decisive in the race for the year-end top position.

Sabalenka cannot simply defend ranking points by going deep.

She is defending the full 2,000 points from last year’s title.

Anything short of another championship creates a substantial opportunity for rivals to gain ground.

That makes every early match more important than its place in the draw might suggest.

Osorio was not expected to stop Sabalenka.

The danger came from giving the tournament a reason to become difficult too early.

Sabalenka prevented that.

Carlos Alcaraz Returns to Singles After Four Months

If Sabalenka entered Monday looking for continuity, Alcaraz entered looking for evidence.

He has not played a singles match since April.

A right wrist injury removed him from Roland Garros, Wimbledon preparation and the major North American hard-court events that normally prepare elite players for New York.

The defending champion therefore begins his title defense without the competitive foundation usually required for a Grand Slam run.

Our US Open men’s title-race analysis identified Alcaraz as the most difficult contender to evaluate because his ceiling remains championship level while his match readiness remains uncertain.

Nothing has changed about that equation.

His first-round opponent adds another complication.

Roman Safiullin is not a player Alcaraz can treat as a warm-up.

Their head-to-head record entered the match tied 1-1, and Safiullin has enough pace and first-strike ability to punish any hesitation from a returning player.

The ATP Tour’s official first-round preview notes that Alcaraz owns a 24-3 career record at the US Open and is seeking an eighth Grand Slam title.

Alcaraz Returns to a Draw That Has Changed Around Him

The situation surrounding Alcaraz looks very different from the one that existed when the tournament draw was made.

Sinner’s withdrawal removed the world No. 1.

Djokovic’s defeat removed the player who had been projected as Alcaraz’s potential semifinal opponent.

Our US Open draw analysis originally framed Alcaraz’s section as difficult because Djokovic occupied the same half and Safiullin represented an awkward opening test.

One of those threats has already disappeared.

That does not mean the defending champion suddenly has an easy route.

It means the draw is becoming less predictable.

When a tournament loses Sinner before it begins and Djokovic in Round 1, opportunity moves toward players who may not have expected to enter the second week with genuine title possibilities.

Alcaraz is still the most accomplished remaining player in that conversation.

His body must first allow him to become part of it.

Djokovic’s Exit Changed the Entire Tournament

Monday’s atmosphere cannot be separated from what happened Sunday night.

Mariano Navone defeated Djokovic in five sets, handing the 39-year-old his first opening-round defeat in 20 US Open appearances.

Our full analysis of Djokovic’s exit focused on the physical problems that followed him through the final stages of the match and the increasingly difficult pursuit of Grand Slam title No. 25.

The result matters to everyone still in the draw.

Djokovic was not merely another seed.

He was a four-time US Open champion with 24 Grand Slam titles and unmatched experience in navigating the second week of majors.

His removal creates space.

Players such as Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Arthur Fils now look at a tournament with one fewer proven champion standing between them and Sunday, September 13.

Sinner’s Absence Made the Men’s Draw Vulnerable Before Day 1

The first major disruption came before the tournament began.

Sinner withdrew because of a right knee injury.

Our report on Sinner’s Cincinnati withdrawal had already raised concern about his US Open preparation after he missed both major North American warm-up tournaments.

The eventual US Open withdrawal removed the world No. 1 completely.

That left Alexander Zverev as the top seed and pushed greater attention toward Alcaraz, Djokovic and the leading American group.

Djokovic is now gone too.

The men’s championship has become one of the most open Grand Slam title races of the season.

Ben Shelton Carries the Strongest American Momentum

Shelton opens his tournament Monday night against Tallon Griekspoor.

The American enters New York after one of the strongest stretches of his career.

He defended his National Bank Open title in Montreal and has continued developing into a more complete hard-court player rather than relying only on serve power and explosive athleticism.

Our National Bank Open semifinal report captured how efficiently Shelton moved through Montreal, including a dominant 6-3, 6-1 victory over Jakub Mensik.

That form made him one of the central names in our pre-tournament men’s title analysis.

The Djokovic result has made the opportunity even larger.

Shelton still has to prove that Masters-level dominance can translate into seven best-of-five matches.

New York gives him the ideal environment to try.

Frances Tiafoe Enters With Cincinnati Frustration and New Opportunity

Tiafoe faces Martin Damm on Louis Armstrong Stadium later Monday.

His North American summer has included some of his best tennis of the season and one frustrating ending.

Arthur Fils defeated him in the Cincinnati final after Tiafoe had forced the match into a deciding set.

Our Cincinnati men’s final analysis examined how both Fils and Tiafoe emerged from Ohio as significant US Open factors.

Now both are scheduled on the same Day 2 court.

Fils faces Stefanos Tsitsipas before Tiafoe plays Damm.

For Tiafoe, the draw has opened enough to make another deep New York run realistic if he can control the inconsistency that has defined too much of his season.

Iga Swiatek Arrives With Momentum Sabalenka Does Not Have

Sabalenka may be the defending champion.

Swiatek arrives with the stronger recent title form.

She won the National Bank Open in Toronto by defeating Elena Rybakina 6-2, 6-3 in the final, ending a difficult stretch and restoring much of the confidence that had disappeared earlier in the season.

The win also completed a remarkable collection of major North American titles for Swiatek.

She now owns Indian Wells, Miami, Cincinnati, Canada and the US Open.

Our recent coverage of the North American summer has followed the shift in the women’s hierarchy, particularly through Coco Gauff’s Cincinnati title and the changing US Open race.

Swiatek opens Monday night against Wang Xiyu.

If she advances comfortably, the pressure on Sabalenka will grow because Swiatek enters New York with something the defending champion lacked through Toronto and Cincinnati.

Recent proof that her best tennis is returning.

Naomi Osaka Remains One of the Most Difficult Players to Read

Osaka begins her tournament against Anastasia Zakharova in the night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The four-time Grand Slam champion remains capable of producing elite hard-court tennis, but her results continue to fluctuate sharply from tournament to tournament.

Toronto offered another example.

Osaka pushed Elena Rybakina into a three-set quarterfinal before losing 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.

That result was part of our Toronto quarterfinal analysis, where Osaka’s level showed she remains capable of threatening the leading women when her first-strike game holds up.

The US Open has always been one of the most significant tournaments of her career.

Another deep run would not be surprising.

Another early exit would not be completely surprising either.

Karolina Muchova Continues a Remarkable US Open

Karolina Muchova reached the second round on Monday after defeating Sinja Kraus.

Her presence carries an unusual layer because she has already won a title at this year’s US Open.

Muchova and Jakub Mensik captured the mixed doubles championship during Fan Week after surviving two match points in the semifinal.

Our August 26 US Open report detailed that championship run and how Muchova entered the singles tournament already carrying Grand Slam success from the same venue.

The Czech player was also a Wimbledon finalist earlier this season.

She therefore enters the women’s singles draw with both recent major form and unusual familiarity with the conditions in New York.

The US Open Was Already Producing Stories Before the Main Draw

The scale of Monday’s schedule reflects how much has already happened at Flushing Meadows.

Muchova’s mixed doubles title came during a qualifying week filled with comeback stories, withdrawals and generational shifts.

Our final qualifying wrap covered Zheng Qinwen’s successful return, Rei Sakamoto ending Kei Nishikori’s final US Open attempt and 16-year-old Kristina Liutova reaching her first Grand Slam main draw.

The previous day had already been disrupted by rain, as detailed in our August 27 qualifying and draw report.

By the time Sabalenka walked onto Ashe on Monday, the tournament had already produced enough narrative movement for an entire week.

What Sabalenka’s Opening Win Actually Tells Us

One straight-sets victory cannot answer every question about Sabalenka’s title defense.

It does answer the first one.

Her difficult summer did not follow her into Round 1.

She handled a dangerous opponent without dropping a set, protected physical energy and avoided becoming the next major name pulled into an early-round battle.

The level will have to rise.

The draw will become more demanding.

Rybakina, Swiatek, Gauff, Osaka, Amanda Anisimova and several younger players remain capable of changing the tournament quickly.

Sabalenka has at least ensured that the conversation about a three-peat survives its opening test.

What Alcaraz Must Show on His Return

For Alcaraz, the standard is different.

Winning alone will not answer every concern.

Movement matters.

Serving rhythm matters.

Backhand stability matters.

Most importantly, the wrist has to survive a real singles workload.

The defending champion can afford some rust.

He cannot afford visible physical limitation.

A major is not won through one good match after four months away.

The body must absorb repeated sessions, changing opponents and potentially several matches lasting three hours or more.

That is why Monday’s return deserves attention even if the final score eventually looks routine.

Final Analysis: Day 2 Is About Stability After an Unstable Opening

The first two days of the 2026 US Open have already changed the tournament.

Sinner never made it to the starting line.

Djokovic lasted one match.

Sabalenka entered with poor recent form and immediately stabilized her campaign.

Alcaraz returned after four months without singles competition.

The tournament now waits to see whether Shelton, Tiafoe, Fils, Swiatek and Osaka can avoid adding further disruption to a draw that has already lost some of its expected structure.

Sabalenka did what defending champions are supposed to do in Round 1.

She won without creating a crisis.

For Alcaraz, the challenge is more complicated.

He is not simply beginning another title defense.

He is testing whether months of rehabilitation have returned him to the level required to survive two weeks in New York.

Day 2 began with the defending women’s champion restoring order.

Its larger story may depend on whether the defending men’s champion can do the same.