The victory provided a significant boost for the seven-time Grand Slam champion, who admitted that the long layoff had been challenging. Alcaraz, who claimed the Australian Open title earlier this year, expressed his relief at returning to the court and reconnecting with the tournament atmosphere, noting that he had missed the competition and the energy of the crowd during his time away.
Strong Starts for Contenders
While Alcaraz navigated his opening test, women’s defending champion
Elsewhere in the draw, Iga Swiatek continued her campaign with a clinical 6-2, 6-3 victory over China’s Wang Xiyu, finishing the contest in 88 minutes. Naomi Osaka also moved forward, though she faced a much tougher test against Anastasia Zakharova. The Japanese star eventually prevailed in a tight encounter, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/3) after more than two hours of play.
Upsets and Hard-Fought Victories
The tournament saw a notable result in the men’s draw as Stefanos Tsitsipas secured his first victory over Arthur Fils in six attempts. The Greek player, currently ranked 53rd in the world, rallied from a set down to defeat the recent Cincinnati Masters champion 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, 6-4. Meanwhile, American eighth seed Ben Shelton overcame a difficult start against Tallon Griekspoor, recovering from a one-sided opening set to win 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.
Canadian third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime also secured his place in the next round, battling past Australia’s Rinky Hijikata in a four-set match that ended 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. These results follow a dramatic opening weekend that saw Novak Djokovic suffer his earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades, falling to Mariano Navone in five sets. With top-ranked Jannik Sinner also sidelined by injury, the field remains wide open as the tournament progresses.
