Dan Kiernan
Grand Slam doubles coach on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

Dart is a testament to that player who shows up day-in and day-out.

I often find that was a challenging position to be because if Peyton Stearns plays at an eight out of 10 there, then Dart probably loses that match but she was there, cashed in on the errors that Stearns made and a well-deserved second round here for Harriet.

A big chance for Roman Safiullin there as he forces a break point but fails to take the opportunity despite appearing to have set himself up nicely.

Relief for Carlos Alcaraz as he escapes to get up and running. That will feel very good indeed.

Image source, Getty Images

An injury sustained at last year’s US Open curtailed Roman Safiullin’s season and saw the former world number 36 tumble out of the top-150.

After spending much of this season on the Challenger circuit, including titles in Portugal and Austria, he returned to his best at Wimbledon, embarking on an emotional run to the last 16.

Coming through qualifying, he beat seeds Andrey Rublev and Joao Fonseca to reach the second week of a Slam for the second time, remarking after the latter win that he “didn’t know whether I would be able to [come] back” from his “super tough” injury layoff.

The 29-year-old is now back up to 99th in the world rankings and, like Alcaraz, he is yet to lose in the first round in New York, winning each of his three matches.

Arthur Ashe Stadium is yet to refill after Aryna Sabalenka's opening win a short while ago, but the fans will soon rush back in now Carlos Alcaraz has turned up.

There's an early opportunity for the Spaniard at 15-30, but some excellent serving from Roman Safiullin takes him to safety in the opening game.

For the first time in 139 days, Carlos Alcaraz is back in singles action!

How will the defending champion hold up? Time to find out.

Fourth match point for Harriet Dart, earned with a smash.

Nope, not third time lucky for Harriet Dart. Her serve sits up beautifully for Peyton Stearns, who has time to run around it and unfurl a down-the-line forehand.

Image source, Getty Images

Carlos Alcaraz and Roman Safiullin have met on two occasions, picking up one win apiece.

Alcaraz won in straight sets on clay at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The previous year, Safiullin had completed a straight-set win of his own on the city's indoor hard courts.

Harriet Dart saves break point with a wide serve which is returned into the net.

She follows it with a T-serve which is returned long for advantage.

Third time lucky?

Not this time for Harriet Dart. She nets a forehand on her first match point before Peyton Stearns pounds a down-the-line forehand to wipe out the second.

Deuce.

A Harriet Dart double fault is sandwiched between unforced errors from Peyton Stearns. 30-15.

The American fails to return a wide second serve into the court. Two match points for Dart.

Carlos Alcaraz is hunting his eighth Grand Slam title, his third US Open crown, and his second major of 2026.

Prior to his injury, the 23-year-old boasted a 22-3 winning record this season, including titles at the Australian Open - to complete the career Grand Slam - and in Doha and a run to the Monte Carlo final.

Alcaraz has reached at least the quarter-finals on four of his five appearances in the US Open main draw and holds a 20-0 winning record in the first round at majors.

That's a huge hold for Harriet Dart.

A double fault at 40-15 offers Peyton Stearns a route back into the game and the Briton later finds herself facing a break point. However, she saves it with a wide first serve before coming through a second deuce to end a run of three consecutive breaks of serve.

Even bigger is the break to love which follows it! Not that she had to do much - error after error from Stearns before throwing in a double fault at 0-40.

Dart will serve for a place in the second round.

Image source, Getty Images

Up next on Arthur Ashe, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz makes his long-awaited return to singles action when he takes on Roman Safiullin.

The Spanish second seed has missed the past four months of the season, including his French Open title defence and Wimbledon, with a wrist injury sustained at April’s Barcelona Open.

He returned to competitive tennis last week, partnering Serena Williams to the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles in New York.

Image source, Getty Images

Aryna Sabalenka, speaking on-court after her round one victory: “Of course, I enjoyed. I missed New York, I missed playing in front of you all you guys. I’m super happy with the level I played at especially in the first set and of course I’m happy to get through this tough opponent in straight sets."

On her emotions playing at the US Open again: “It’s unbelievable. I feel like this one of my favourite stadiums, I really feel my best emotions at this stadium so it means a lot to be back and have an opportunity for a three-peat.”

On defending her title and ranking: “I’m trying to focus on myself. I’m enjoying my time in New York and I’m ready to go out here and do anything it takes to get the wins. I’m ready for the fight and basically that’s it.”

Harriet Dart's advantage is wiped out at the first opportunity, Peyton Stearns completing the break to 30 with a backhand winner.

However, three forehand unforced errors in four points from the American hands Dart a 15-40 lead and although she saves one break point, a long forehand at the end of a lengthy and bruising baseline exchange undoes her hard work.

Neither player has been able to seize hold of this match but Dart has her nose in front.

There's been a lot of talk about Aryna Sabalenka's poor form recently, but she avoids an early upset in New York to set up a second-round encounter with Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko.

Dan Kiernan
Grand Slam doubles coach on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

I do stand by the statement that this is everything Sabalenka needed in the first round.

She doesn't need to be playing her best tennis yet, she needs to work her way into the tournament and grow some confidence. She needs to gain more rhythm and timing on her shots and that match gave her that.