Introduction to Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz, the second-ranked tennis player globally, has maintained an impressive unbeaten record in the opening matches of Grand Slam tournaments. His streak continued at the 2025 US Open, where he defeated Reilly Opelka in straight sets.
Background and Significance
Alcaraz’s unbeaten streak in Grand Slam openers began five years ago at the Australian Open 2021, where he triumphed over Botic van de Zandschulp. Since then, he has played 19 first-round matches in Grand Slams, winning all of them. The only exception was the 2023 Australian Open, which he missed due to injury.
Alcaraz’s Quest for More Grand Slam Titles
The Spanish tennis star aims to secure his sixth Grand Slam title at the 2025 US Open. A victory would also help him reclaim the number one spot in the ATP rankings, where he currently stands at second place. He lost the top position to Jannik Sinner in September 2023, nearly two years ago.
Performance Against Opelka
Despite Opelka’s advantage in aces (14-4), Alcaraz dominated with 86% success on first serves and 62% on second serves. The match marked the first time Alcaraz and Opelka faced each other on the ATP Tour, with Alcaraz unfazed by his opponent’s towering height of over two meters.
Alcaraz’s Grand Slam Success
Alcaraz has already tasted success at the US Open, winning the 2022 edition. He has also claimed two Wimbledon titles (2023 and 2024) and two Roland Garros championships (2024 and 2025). In the US Open, he reached the semifinals in 2023 but was eliminated early in the second round in 2024.
Upcoming Match Against Mattia Bellucci
Alcaraz will face Italian Mattia Bellucci, ranked 65th in the ATP, in the second round. This will be their first meeting on the ATP Tour. Alcaraz is positioned in the eighth quadrant of the US Open 2025 men’s singles draw, alongside Daniil Medvedev from Russia. The only top-20 player remaining in this section is fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (18th).
Other Notable Results from Monday’s Matches
- Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Holger Rune, and Frances Tiafoe advanced to the second round.
- Among the top 10 seeds, Jack Draper (5th) and Karen Khachanov (9th) also progressed.
Tuesday’s First-Round Matches
Some notable players making their US Open 2025 debut on Tuesday include Jannik Sinner (against Vit Kopriva), Alexander Zverev (against Alejandro Tabilo), and Alex De Miñaur (against Christopher O’Connell). Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Jakub Mensik, and Cameron Norrie have already advanced to the second round.
