Carlos Alcaraz on Monday cruised into the second round of the US Open with a straight-sets mauling of big-serving Reilly Opelka of the US, while veteran Venus Williams made an emotional exit at the hands of 11th seed Karolina Muchova.
Alcaraz, sporting a new buzz cut that has sparked plenty of chatter on social media, dismantled Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium to set up a second-round encounter with Italian Mattia Bellucci.
Williams, back at Flushing Meadows at the age of 45 after a year’s hiatus, fought bravely against Muchova, forcing a deciding set before bowing out 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.
Photo: AP
“I’m very proud of how I played,” said Williams, who was beaten 6-1, 6-1 on her last US Open appearance in 2023.
“I think for me getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy,” added Williams, who disclosed in 2011 that she had been diagnosed Sjogren’s, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and joint pain.
“When you play unhealthy, it’s in your mind. It’s not just how you feel. You get stuck in your mind, too. So, it was nice to be freer,” she said.
Talented teen Mirra Andreeva crushed Alycia Parks 6-0, 6-1 with a near-flawless performance on Louis Armstrong Stadium, but an error-strewn showing from Madison Keys saw the Australian Open champion upset 6-7 (10/12), 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 by Renata Zarazua in the first match on Arthur Ashe.
At No. 6, Keys is the highest seed to fall so far.
Zarazua, the only Mexican player in the main draw, saved seven break points across the match for her first win over a top-10 player in a grueling, three-hour and 10-minute affair.
“Coming into the match, I was like almost crying, because I was really nervous, but I think the crowd made it so chill for me,” she said. “I could hear some Mexican [fans] cheering, so that was very nice.”
She would hope to recreate the magic in the second round against Frenchwoman Diane Parry, who had no problems eliminating twice Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova 6-1, 6-0 in her final professional match.
Two-times major winner Barbora Krejcikova has struggled with injuries this year, but looked strong in knocking out Victoria Mboko 6-3, 6-2, just weeks after the promising Canadian teenager’s career breakthrough in Montreal.
Krejcikova next plays Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.
Men’s 17th seed Frances Tiafoe lifted the home fans after Keys was sent packing, beating Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 and closing out the afternoon program on Ashe with his 19th ace.
The twice semi-finalist, who plays US qualifier Martin Damm next, joins fourth seed Taylor Fritz and sixth seed Ben Shelton in the second round as they aim to become the first US man to lift the US Open trophy in 22 years.
Jack Draper, a semi-finalist last year, dismissed Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (7/9), 6-2 and plays Belgian Zizou Bergs next.
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