Carlos Alcaraz Dominates Reilly Opelka in U.S. Open First Round

FLUSHING, N.Y. (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz defeated Reilly Opelka in straight sets on Monday, August 26, at the 2025 U.S. Open. The No. 2 ranked Spaniard won the match 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium despite feeling he couldn’t achieve his desired rhythm during play.

Alcaraz broke Opelka, ranked No. 67, three times throughout the match and made only 17 unforced errors, while Opelka recorded 32. In a post-match interview with ESPN, Alcaraz said, “I couldn’t get the rhythm that I wanted to get, but I’m really happy with everything I’ve done.” He added, “Overall, I think I had a really great performance.”

In the second round, Alcaraz will face No. 65 Mattia Bellucci of Italy, who won his first-round match against Juncheng Shang of China. The upcoming clash will be pivotal as the winner will advance to face either No. 34 Luciano Darderi of Italy or No. 127 Eliot Spizzirri of the United States.

On Day 2 of the U.S. Open, several top male players also advanced. Notable victories were achieved by No. 5 Jack Draper of Great Britain, No. 9 Karen Khachanov of Russia, and No. 11 Holger Rune of Denmark.

In women’s singles, the highlight was No. 5 Mirra Andreeva of Russia, who quickly ousted No. 56 Alycia Parks of the United States in just 55 minutes. Andreeva broke Parks six times and made only five unforced errors.

Alcaraz’s buzz cut, which surprised many fans, resulted from a mishap when his brother was cutting his hair. Despite this sudden change in appearance, it did not hinder his performance on the court.

Streaming coverage of the U.S. Open is available daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. EDT on ESPN+. More focused coverage will air on ESPN for specific matches, including Alcaraz’s second-round matchup, scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

With Alcaraz’s latest triumph, the quest for the title and a return to the top ranking in men’s tennis intensifies as the tournament progresses.