US Open 2026: Tsitsipas knocks out Arthur Fils, Alcaraz makes a winning return

Two days, two heavy falls. After Novak Djokovic on Sunday, Arthur Fils goes out at the first hurdle, beaten by a Stefanos Tsitsipas who had never got the better of him. Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, picked his season back up, and three French players reach the second round.

How did Arthur Fils lose?

France's leading man, seeded 10th, loses to Stefanos Tsitsipas in four sets (4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4) on Louis Armstrong. He had led by a set and 5-3, 15-0: two points from a two-set lead, he let the Greek back in, lose the tie-break, then the match.

The numbers tell the swing: 50 winners for Tsitsipas, 38 for Fils. The Greek had lost all five of their previous meetings, including a 6-0, 6-1 beating in Miami in March.

Fils arrived in New York on a six-match winning streak and with his first Masters 1000 title, won in Cincinnati eight days earlier. "Even if I was fighting, it was tough," he admitted afterwards. Tsitsipas meets South African qualifier Lloyd Harris in the second round.

Is Carlos Alcaraz really back?

The defending champion picked up where he left off: a straight-sets win over Russia's Roman Safiullin (6-4, 6-4, 6-4) in his first match for 139 days — a wrist injury had stopped him after Barcelona in April.

"Being able to step on the Arthur Ashe, being able to compete again, I couldn't decide to come back in a better tournament," the Spaniard said.

Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion in the women's draw, followed him through, seeing off Colombia's Camila Osorio (6-2, 6-4) with 32 winners to 23 unforced errors. "I think I played great. She's a tough opponent, makes you work really hard to get every point," she said.

How did the French players fare?

Three through, four out.

Adrian Mannarino finally finished the match the Sunday storm had suspended: two sets down, he turned it around against Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante (4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3) and will face Alexander Bublik.

Quentin Halys produced the result he had been waiting for, beating Argentina's Facundo Diaz Acosta (6-4, 7-5, 6-7, 6-1). It is his first second round at the US Open after five opening-round exits. The reward is a hard one: Alexander Zverev, the top seed, is next.

Diane Parry saw off Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic (7-5, 6-4) to reach the second round for the third year running, a week after winning her first career title in Monterrey.

Those who went out:

Lois Boisson, also caught by Sunday's rain, hauled herself level while Emma Navarro was serving for the match, before giving way in the third (7-6(6), 6-7(1), 6-3).
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard saved four match points before falling to Austria's Jurij Rodionov (6-7(2), 0-6, 6-7(4)).
Valentin Royer, two sets down, drew level and then dropped serve in the decider against the Czech Dalibor Svrcina (4-6, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 2-6).
Elsa Jacquemot never got going against the Czech Marie Bouzkova (6-2, 6-2).

Also through: Monaco's Valentin Vacherot, a winner over American Aleksandar Kovacevic (6-2, 6-3, 7-5).

Who else came through the first round?

In the men's draw, Felix Auger-Aliassime (3) beat Australia's Rinky Hijikata in four sets (7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5), Ben Shelton (8) recovered from a 6-1 opening set to see off Tallon Griekspoor, and Frances Tiafoe (11) came through five sets against Martin Damm (6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4). The throwback tie between Stan Wawrinka and Matteo Berrettini was short-lived: the Italian won in three (7-6(4), 7-6(3), 6-0).

In the women's draw, Naomi Osaka needed two tie-breaks to get past Anastasia Zakharova (7-6(6), 7-6(3)), Iga Swiatek gave China's Wang Xiyu nothing (6-2, 6-3), and Amanda Anisimova, Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova all went through untroubled.

Who plays on Tuesday?

The first round closes with five French players in action. Corentin Moutet opens against Australia's Dane Sweeny at 5pm French time, followed by Arthur Gea — the lucky loser from qualifying — against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Leolia Jeanjean against the Netherlands' Arantxa Rus and Benjamin Bonzi against Slovakia's Alex Molcan. Gael Monfils closes the night on Louis Armstrong against Paraguay's Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, at 1am.

On Arthur Ashe, top seed Alexander Zverev finally starts his tournament against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego. Madison Keys, Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff complete the bill.