Carlos Alcaraz returns to Grand Slam singles action at the US Open, opening his campaign against Russia’s Roman Safiullin under a cloud of physical uncertainty and high competitive stakes. According to reports from AS and Punto de Break, the Spanish star steps onto the Arthur Ashe Stadium court following a four-and-a-half-month layoff due to a right wrist injury.
Match Schedule, Venue, and Local Times
The first-round encounter is scheduled for Monday, August 31, 2026, as the second match on the main Arthur Ashe Stadium court. According to tournament scheduling details, play on the central court begins with a women’s singles match between Aryna Sabalenka and Camila Osorio at 17:30 peninsular time in Spain (11:30 local time in New York). Alcaraz and Safiullin will follow immediately after, with expected court time around 19:00 to 19:30 in Spain (13:30 local time in New York), though the exact start remains dependent on the duration of the opening match.
Wrist Recovery and Competitive Rust
Alcaraz hasn’t played an official singles match since April 14, 2026, when he was forced to retire against Otto Virtanen in the second round in Barcelona due to his right wrist problem. To test his physical readiness ahead of the singles draw, Alcaraz partnered with Serena Williams in the mixed doubles tournament starting August 25, securing an opening win before falling in the quarterfinals to the pairing of Lorenzo Cobolli and Belinda Bencic, as detailed by AS.
Speaking to media ahead of his tournament debut, Alcaraz emphasized a process-oriented mindset rather than fixing immediate round targets. «No me quiero poner un límite. No sé si voy a quedarse en primera ronda, en segunda, si llegaré a la final… No quiero pensar en el resultado, sino en el proceso que hemos llevado. Y salir ahí y disfrutar», stated the Spanish player regarding his return.
Head-to-Head History Against Safiullin
His opponent, 29-year-old Russian competitor Roman Safiullin, currently sits at world No. 98 in the rankings. The career head-to-head record between the two stands level at 1–1. Safiullin claimed their first meeting at the Paris Masters in autumn 2023 with a straight-sets victory (6-3, 6-4). Alcaraz leveled the ledger later during the Paris Olympic Games, defeating the Russian by a score of 6-4, 6-2.
Safiullin’s 2026 season has seen him split time between the ATP Challenger Tour and the main tour, recording first-round exits at Roland Garros and Stuttgart, alongside a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon where he fell to Novak Djokovic.
Broadcasting and How to Watch
In Spain, the US Open is broadcast exclusively via Movistar Plus+. Fans can watch the Alcaraz versus Safiullin clash live on television through M+ Vamos (dial 8) and M+ Deportes 2 (dial 64), or stream the coverage on demand via the Movistar Plus+ application across supported mobile devices, tablets, and smart TVs, as outlined by Punto de Break.
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