Key events
Safiullin 1-0 *Alcaraz (*denotes next server). The Russian holds, and it’s the Spaniard’s turn.
Carlos Alcaraz is out on court, and knocking up against Roman Safiullin of Russia.
(Full name: Roman Rishatovich Safiullin.)
Harriet Dart of Great Britain, meanwhile, is on the cusp of victory against Peyton Stearns. (3-6, 6-3, 5-2) and 40-15.
Latest in the women’s singles: Zidansek 0-4 Timofeeva in their first set on Court 9.
Ito 2-6, 0-1 Selekhmeteva over on Court 15. Zheng 4-6, 6-3, 4-0 Liutova on Court 17.
Men’s singles: Andrey Rublev, meanwhile, is 5-0 up on Otto Virtanen in their third set: but he’s 2-0 down in sets, having coughed up two tiebreak defeats so far. (7-6(5), 7-6(0).
Men’s singles: Matteo Arnaldi (30) v James Duckworth is go on Court 10. Duckworth holds serve to begin.
Thanks Taha, hello all.
And with that, I’ll hand over to Luke McLaughlin for the next couple of hours.
Aryna Sabalenka (1) beats Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-4
There was a brief stumble in the second set but the 2024 and 2025 champion is up and running in 2026. Osorio nets a forehand return and Sabalenka has the match.
Osorio is forced into the splits by Sabalenka’s net play, and the No 1 seed has the chance to break … Osorio has control of the rally but misplaces a backhand to the corner. Sabalenka’s not had the best time in this second set but has the chance to wrap things up now. She leads 6-2, 5-4.
Sabalenka is in the shade on Arthur Ashe as she launches her serves, but Osorio is finding joy in the light, visibly more confident in this second set. Sabalenka does hold as she leads 6-2, 4-4.
Sabalenka has 20 unforced errors in the match; Osorio is on 15. This looked straightforward after the first set but the world No 59 is hanging in there. Sabalenka leads 6-2, 3-4.
Sabalenka is in trouble, down 30-40 … but a backhand down the line lets her roar. Osorio whips a cross-court return and has another chance to break … but another backhand down the line saves Sabalenka, who – eventually – manages to hold. She leads 6-2, 3-3.
Osorio’s finding her flow! She completes her hold by advancing to the net and nailing a backhand drop, her finest stroke of the match. Sabalenka leads 6-2, 2-3.
And Osorio breaks back, with Sabalenka totting up several unforced errors. The 28-year-old overcooks a few of her groundstrokes on Osorio’s serve and the Colombian finds herself ahead in the second set. Sabalenka leads 6-2, 1-2.
Sabalenka shifts Osorio from side to side before the power-packed forehand to close the points. Sabalenka converts her second break point of the game when Osorio, back-pedalling, forehands into the net. The first seed leads 6-2, 1-0.
Sabalenka takes the first set 6-2, with five aces and 18 winners so far. It’s all rather predictable.
Wonderful from Sabalenka. She pummels Osorio’s second serve before advancing to the net, a deft forehand toying with her opponent. And, just like that, she’s broken back. Sabalenka goes 5-2 up and is serving for the first set.
Sabalenka is cruising, breaking for the second time to go 4-1 up against Osorio. The defending champion is angry with herself, though, after a backhand finds the net. An ace swiftly follows but Sabalenka’s balance is off with her backhand – Osorio has two break points. Sabalenka stays calm at the net to save the first with a forehand smash but then double-faults! Osorio has the break; Sabalenka leads 4-2.
Arthur Fils has taken the first set against Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, while Karolina Muchova is sprinting to the second round – she’s up 6-3, 5-0 against Sinja Kraus.
Osorio finds some confidence with a couple of crushing winners before Sabalenka saves a break point with an ace. Sabalenka’s serves down the middle do the job as she goes 3-1 up in the first set.
Sabalenka fires a backhand to take Osorio to deuce. Osorio double-faults once again before showing off a steely defence against her opponent’s phenomenal power, with Sabalenka eventually pummelling the net. But Osorio serves consecutive double faults – that’s five in the match – to gift Sabalenka the break. The world No 1 goes 2-1 up.
Sabalenka eases through on her serve, advancing to the net to secure her first game of the tournament with a forehand volley. It’s 1-1 in the opening set against Osorio.
Sabalenka and Osorio are underway on Arthur Ashe, with the Colombian serving. She records two double-faults before Sabalenka seizes upon the second serve, whipping a blistering forehand to make it deuce. But the defending champion finds the net and the stratosphere, too, as Osorio holds to go 1-0 up.
Back to Tsitsipas v Fils, and the latter has the chance to break … he goes long with a backhand and we’re back to deuce, with Fils leading the first set 3-2. Tsitsipas pushes forward to swat a forehand winner and a big serve gives him the game. 3-3 it is.
Britain’s Harriet Dart is up against Peyton Stearns, who plays a deft backhand volley to hold her serve and go 2-1 up. Over on Grandstand Karolina Muchova, runner-up at Wimbledon this year and seventh seed here, is leading 4-1 against Sinja Kraus.
Fils, the 10th seed, finds himself stuck on deuce while serving against Tsitsipas – but the Frenchman saves three break points before a backhand down the line gives him the opening game.
Arthur Fils, who claimed his first Masters title this month by beating Frances Tiafoe in Cincinnati, has an intriguing opening clash. He’s up against two-time grand slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas on Louis Armstrong.
Here’s more on Sabalenka by Tumaini:
Such is the competition at the top of women’s tennis, her rivals are congregating at her front door. Elena Rybakina begins this tournament sitting at No 1 in the live standings and in control of her own destiny. Sabalenka must win the title to have any hope of retaining the top ranking, but Rybakina will become the new No 1 regardless of all other results if she reaches the semi-finals. Should either Coco Gauff or Jessica Pegula win the title and Rybakina fails to make the semi-finals, they would take top spot. This additional pressure could further add to Sabalenka’s woes, but perhaps, after 97 consecutive weeks as the undisputed best player in the world, this is exactly what she needs.
Aryna Sabalenka will be up on Arthur Ashe at 11.30am EDT (4.30pm BST). She’s met Camila Osorio twice, winning in straight sets on both occasions, the first of those at Wimbledon in 2021. The world No 1 is the defending champion and triumphed in 2024 too – but she’s had a tough time of it recently. Sabalenka lost in the round of 16 at the Cincinnati Open to Sara Bejlek and hasn’t reach a final since winning the Miami Open in March. Maybe a return to New York, where she’s had so much success, will bring the rhythm back.
A 12.13am start! It’s a no from me.
Preamble
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to another day of action at Flushing Meadows. We’ve got two weeks left of this thing and, somehow, Novak Djokovic is already out of the picture, having suffered his first first-round loss at a slam since January 2006. Wild.
The attention today turns to Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz, both featuring on Arthur Ashe in the day. They’re up against Camila Osorio (world No 59) and Roman Safiullin (No 99), respectively. I’ll keep eyes on Louis Armstrong and the Grandstand – but I’ll surely miss a few things here and there. Help a man out and keep me company: drop me a line with your thoughts, queries, hopes, dreams, how much of a dent tickets have left in your bank account, whatever you fancy.