Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz didn’t miss a beat as he returned from a four-month injury absence with a straight-sets first-round victory in the US Open on Monday. 

Out of action with a wrist injury since April, Alcaraz passed his first test with flying colours, beating Russian Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where women’s defending champion Aryna Sabalenka also made it safely into the second round. “It’s been a really tough five months for me,” Alcaraz said.