Carlos Alcaraz is set to make his return to competitive tennis at the U.S. Open on Monday, facing Roman Safiullin in the first round. This marks Alcaraz's first match of this magnitude since mid-April, when a wrist injury sidelined him for more than four months and caused him to miss several ATP events and major tournaments. His decision to skip the Cincinnati Open earlier this month surprised fellow player Jessica Pegula.
"I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a tough thing to do,’ but I think he’s kind of a special player, obviously,” Pegula said after her own first-round victory on Sunday. She noted that the best-of-five format in the men's tournament could provide Alcaraz with an advantage as he shakes off the rust. "I do think it gives a little more leeway for him to work his way into matches, where if it’s two out of three, like for the women, that to me is a little bit tougher,” Pegula explained. "Because you lose the first set and you come out a little rusty, you’re, like, ‘Oh, my gosh, if I don’t win the second set, then I’m out.’"
Despite Alcaraz's extended absence from the court, Pegula expressed confidence in his ability to perform. "I think if he can win his first couple of rounds, he’s gonna find his form very, very fast,” she stated.
Meanwhile, American player Tommy Paul remains optimistic about the potential for a U.S. man to win the U.S. Open this year, a feat not accomplished since 2003. "The Americans have been playing great tennis leading into the U.S. Open,” Paul said. “This is always where we want to play well. This is always where we have, I guess, the most energy going into matches. To get across the line, I’m not sure. Obviously we’re going to have to play really, really good tennis and really clutch tennis.”
Rick Pitino, head coach of the St. John's Red Storm men's basketball team, was also in attendance at the U.S. Open, observing the night session on Day 1. Pitino had previously attended a night session at the tournament last year. He was seen in a suite with Yankees great CC Sabathia and his wife, Amber, during Novak Djokovic's first-round match.