Tennis-Alcaraz, Sabalenka launch bids to retain US Open crowns

NEW YORK, Aug 30 (Reuters) – Both defending champions enter the fray as the U.S. Open’s first round continues on Monday, with Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz looking for their third titles.

TOP MEN’S MATCH: ROMAN SAFIULLIN V CARLOS ALCARAZ

World number three Alcaraz won three of the last four Grand Slams before a wrist injury forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.

The Spaniard’s return to competitive tennis has been one of the biggest talking points at the U.S. Open, as he partnered with Serena Williams in the mixed doubles and reached the quarter-finals.

“You’re going to see Carlitos playing the way he always has… I need competition. It wasn’t an easy decision. I just did whatever it took to be ready,” the 23-year-old said.

Alcaraz faces a tricky opponent. Safiullin beat him in 2023, the only time they have met on a hard court. Alcaraz beat the Russian at the Paris Olympics the following year, on clay.

“I’m not going to set a limit for myself. I don’t want to focus on a specific result. I want to focus on the process we’ve gone through. Just go out there, enjoy it and feel good,” Alcaraz added.

TOP WOMEN’S MATCH: ARYNA SABALENKA V CAMILA OSORIO

After two semi-final runs and defeat in the 2023 final, Sabalenka captured the U.S. Open crown in 2024 and repeated the feat the following year.

The world number one now has the opportunity to become the 12th woman to win the title three times in a row, the first since Serena Williams did it between 2012 and 2014.

But although the four-times Grand Slam winner continues to dominate the rankings, the 27-year-old’s form has hit a slump. She has not reached a WTA tournament final since March, and suffered round-of-16 exits at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open this month.

“It wasn’t the best period… I’ve been dealing with several things. But who cares, right? Yeah, I didn’t perform my best,” Sabalenka told reporters.

OSAKA LOOKS TO EXCEL IN ‘SIDE HUSTLE’

Four-times Grand Slam winner Osaka reached the U.S. Open semi-finals last year, and followed that up with last month’s quarter-final run at Wimbledon.

“I think people forget my main job is to be a mom. This is kind of like my side hustle a little bit. I just happen to be really good at it,” Osaka said. 

“I feel good. I’m coming off of… Toronto, and that was a pretty good result for me. So, yeah, I guess we’ll see what happens,” she added.

U.S. OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON MONDAY (prefix number denotes seeding):

ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM (1530 GMT/1130 ET)

1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Camila Osorio (Colombia)

Roman Safiullin (Russia) v 2-Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)

8-Ben Shelton (U.S.) v Tallon Griekspoor (Netherlands)

13-Naomi Osaka (Japan) v Anastasia Zakharova (Russia)

LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM (1500 GMT/1100 ET)

Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) v 10-Arthur Fils (France)

Ashlyn Krueger (U.S.) v 10-Amanda Anisimova (U.S.)

8-Iga Swiatek (Poland) v Wang Xiyu (China)

Martin Damm (U.S.) v 11-Frances Tiafoe (U.S.)

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)

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