New York – The 2026 U.S. Open kicks off with a strong local interest for tennis fans across the nation. World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, the two‑time champion, will play his first singles match since April against Russia’s Roman Safiullin. Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon due to a right‑wrist injury, returning briefly in mixed doubles with Serena Williams before the tournament.

Veteran Stars Drawn Together

Veteran Venus Williams, 46, received a wild‑card entry and was paired with 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, 27, who earned the remaining wild‑card after Serena Williams opted to compete only in doubles. The match pits two American icons against each other in the opening round.

Other Notable First‑Round Matchups

Alexander Zverev, the French Open champion and top seed after Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal, opens against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. Defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka faces Colombia’s Camila Osorio, while top‑seed Iga Swiatek meets Elena Rybakina in a potential quarter‑final clash.

In the men’s draw, No. 1 seed Zverev could meet No. 6 Alex de Minaur in the quarters, and No. 2 Alcaraz may face No. 8 Ben Shelton. Novak Djokovic, seeded fourth, is slated to meet Daniil Medvedev in the bottom half.

Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 champion playing his final Grand Slam, received a wild‑card and will meet Matteo Berrettini. Former champion Marin Cilic faces No. 23 seed Andrey Rublev, and rising French star Arthur Fils opens against two‑time Grand Slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Weather and Qualifying Delays

Qualifying rounds concluded Thursday, though rain forced some matches to be postponed to Friday. Players such as Marta Kostyuk and Alex Eala are awaiting their first‑round opponents.

The U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the season, begins main‑draw play on Sunday, promising high‑stakes competition for fans and families across the country.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.