Carlos Alcaraz made a strong start at the US Open by defeating Reilly Opelka. The five-time major winner celebrated his victory with a golf swing, inspired
by Rory McIlroy, who was present at Flushing Meadows. Alcaraz secured a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win by breaking Opelka's serve once in each set and maintaining his own service games to avoid any tie-breaks.
When asked about his celebration, Alcaraz expressed his excitement about meeting McIlroy for the first time. "It was the first time that I met [McIlroy]. It was such an honour. On the last day of the Masters I had just won Monte Carlo and I was [watching] on my phone cheering on him. It was an unbelievable experience meeting him and having a chance to talk a little bit with him. It's just amazing to watch his golf," he said.
Elsewhere at Flushing Meadows, Coleman Wong made history as the first male player from Hong Kong to win a Grand Slam match in the Open Era. He defeated Aleksandar Kovacevic with scores of 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4). Other players like Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, and Casper Ruud also advanced on Monday.
Alcaraz has now matched a record held by Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal by winning his first 19 opening-round matches in Grand Slam main draws. This achievement highlights his consistency and skill on the court. The young player will face Mattia Bellucci in the second round.
The 22-year-old has been dominant this season, leading the ATP Tour with 55 match wins and securing six titles so far. His performance continues to impress fans and analysts alike.
19 - List of players who began their career in the Open Era to go 19-0 from their first 19 opening Men's Singles matches in Grand Slam main draws: Bjorn Borg Rafael Nadal Carlos Alcaraz Airbender.#USOpen | @usopen @atptour @ATPMediaInfo pic.twitter.com/D0WYSOMGi9 OptaAce (@OptaAce) August 26, 2025
As Alcaraz continues his journey at the US Open, fans eagerly anticipate how far he will go in this tournament. His impressive track record suggests he is well-prepared for future challenges on the court.
