Alcaraz opens US Open title defense vs. Safiullin

Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, will open his US Open title defense against Roman Safiullin, with main draw play beginning Sunday at the final Grand Slam of the season. It will be Alcaraz's first singles match since April, having missed Wimbledon through injury, during which Safiullin made a notable run at that tournament. The draw also produced a notable first-round match between 46-year-old Venus Williams, who received a wild card, and Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion.