Monday's second day of the US Open saw Carlos Alcaraz navigate the Reilly Opelka serve with surgical precision, while Holger Rune survived a Winston-Salem finalist in straight sets. The men's draw maintained relative order with 12 of 16 seeds advancing, though warning signs emerged for several top players in the humid New York conditions that reached 33 degrees Celsius.

Alcaraz Breaking the Serve Code 

Carlos Alcaraz's 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Reilly Opelka showcased tactical maturity against one of tennis's most daunting servers. The stunning start was followed by some little slump in further sets, as Alcaraz dropped some significant amount of 6 double faults, however this occured not to harm his comfortable straight sets win. The statistics tell a remarkable story: Alcaraz didn't drop a single point on serve in the opening set (16/16). The Spaniard's return positioning - standing an average of 3.8 meters behind the baseline, compared to his usual 2.1 meters - neutralized Opelka's 225+ km/h bombs while creating angles for passing shots.

The American, who stunned Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-3 in Cincinnati just weeks ago, couldn't replicate that form against Alcaraz's relentless pressure. Opelka's frustration manifested in crucial double faults at 4-5 in the second set, gifting Alcaraz the break he needed. The Spaniard converted 3 of 7 break points (43%) despite Opelka firing 24 aces, demonstrating elite return efficiency against a server who typically holds 88% of service games. Alcaraz's victory extends his winning streak to seven matches following his Cincinnati title, where Sinner retired at 5-0 in the final.

Rune passes Van de Zandschulp

11th seed Holger Rune's 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(2) victory over Botic Van De Zandschulp required navigating dangerous waters against the Winston-Salem finalist. The Dutchman entered on a five-match winning streak but struggled with fatigue after playing six matches in seven days, including a heartbreaking 6-3, 7-6(3) final loss to Marton Fucsovics on Saturday where he squandered a 5-1 lead in the second set.

Rune, who withdrew from Washington with back pain just two weeks ago, showed no signs of physical limitation, dominating both tiebreaks with aggressive returning. The Dane's serving statistics proved decisive - winning 79% of first-serve points compared to Van de Zandschulp's 68%. The match featured zero breaks after the opening set, highlighting the fast-court dynamics where both players combined for 47 aces and 112 unreturned serves. Van de Zandschulp, who famously stunned Alcaraz at this venue last year with a straight sets victory, couldn't summon similar magic against Rune, extending their head-to-head to 3-0 in the Dane's favor.

Tiafoe's Home Court Mastery 

Frances Tiafoe leveraged Arthur Ashe Stadium's energy to defeat Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-3, continuing his impressive US Open record of 18-7 since 2019. The American, who reached the semifinals here in 2022 with victories over Nadal and Rublev, displayed the same fearless tennis that makes him dangerous in New York. His serving dominance - 71% first serves in play and 14 aces - neutralized Nishioka's baseline consistency.

The Japanese player, who had upset Tiafoe 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Dallas earlier this year, couldn't replicate that success on the sport's biggest stage. Tiafoe produced exceptional 42 winners to just 19 unforced errors - the best performance of any American man on Day 2. The crowd's influence was palpable, feeding off the energy to secure his 11th US Open main draw victory.

Khachanov's Experience Prevails 

9th Karen Khachanov survived a spirited challenge from American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy, recovering from dropping the first set to win 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5, 6-1. The 20-year-old American, who took a set off Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open and recently claimed his first Masters 1000 win against Aleksandar Vukic in Cincinnati, demonstrated why he's considered one of America's brightest prospects.

Basavareddy's aggressive net play - winning 8 of 11 approaches in the opening set - had Khachanov on the defensive early. However, the Russian's experience in five-setters (31-18 career record) proved decisive as the match extended past three hours in brutal humidity. Khachanov, runner-up at the Canadian Open where he fell to Ben Shelton in the final, adjusted his tactics brilliantly, targeting Basavareddy's movement with drop shots and angles. The American won just 12 points in the final set after covering 4.2 kilometers through the first three sets, his legs betraying him when it mattered most.

Draper's Rusty Return 

Jack Draper survived a four-set test against Federico Agustín Gómez 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2 in his first match since Wimbledon six weeks ago. The British No. 1, who reached the semifinals here last year with victories over Hurkacz and De Minaur, showed understandable rust after recovering from a shoulder issue that forced him to skip the entire North American hard-court swing.

Gómez, ranked 103rd, pushed Draper to the limit with his variety and court craft, saving 10 of 14 break points faced. The Argentine's drop shot success rate of 78% (14/18) repeatedly caught Draper flat-footed, exposing the Brit's lack of match sharpness. Draper's concerning 29% break point conversion rate and 41 unforced errors suggest he'll need rapid improvement to match last year's run. However, his ability to raise his level in the fourth set - winning 82% of first-serve points - demonstrated the mental fortitude that carried him deep in 2024.

Michelsen's Collapse - Day's Biggest Upset

The day's most stunning upset came from Court 7, where 28th seed Alex Michelsen fell to Francisco Comesana 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(2) in what bookmakers rated as the least likely result of Monday's action. Comesana, ranked 108th and priced at 3.42 odds, dismantled the young American who just two weeks ago reached the Cincinnati quarterfinals with victories over Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov.

Michelsen's rapid rise in 2025 - climbing from outside the top 50 to a career-high 28th - made him America's second-highest ranked player behind Taylor Fritz. That Cincinnati run, where he pushed eventual finalist Holger Rune to three sets, suggested readiness for a deep US Open run. Instead, the 20-year-old produced just 18 winners against 42 unforced errors, his forehand completely abandoning him with 28 errors from that wing alone. Comesana, playing in just his second US Open main draw, maintained remarkable composure with an 81% first-serve points won rate and didn't face a single break point after the opening set.

The Argentine's tactical approach proved masterful - he targeted Michelsen's movement with drop shots and slices, forcing the American to cover 3.8 kilometers compared to his own 3.1. Michelsen's frustration boiled over in the third-set tiebreak where he smashed his racquet after netting a routine forehand at 2-5. For Comesana, this marks his first Grand Slam second-round appearance and validates his decision to skip South American clay challengers to prepare on North American hard courts. The result serves as a sobering reminder that breakthrough ATP 1000 runs don't automatically translate to Grand Slam success, particularly for young Americans feeling home pressure.

Humbert stunned by Walton

Twenty-second seed Ugo Humbert became the day's highest-profile casualty, falling to Adam Walton 6-4, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-1 in the tournament's biggest upset. Walton, ranked 101st, arrived with serious credentials after stunning Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4 in Washington just three weeks ago, proving that victory was no fluke. The 24-year-old American's aggressive returning - winning 42% of return points against a player who typically holds 81% of service games - showcased fearless tennis on his Grand Slam debut.

Humbert's hard-court struggles continued (14-12 in 2025), unable to handle Walton's heavy forehand that averaged 132 km/h, compared to Humbert's 122 km/h The Frenchman's physical conditioning also came into question, winning just 31% of points in the final set as Walton ran away with the match. This marks Humbert's third consecutive first-round exit at the US Open, a mental hurdle that appears insurmountable at Flushing Meadows.

Rublev's Dominant Performance

15th seed Andrey Rublev delivered the day's most dominant performance, crushing Croatian youngster Dino Prizmic 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in just 97 minutes. The Russian's scored staggering 39 winners to 11 unforced errors - his best match at Grand Slam since reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals. Rublev's 91% first-serve points won marked his highest percentage in any Grand Slam match this year.

Prizmic, who memorably pushed Djokovic to four sets at the Australian Open as a qualifier, couldn't replicate that magic against Rublev's relentless power. The 19-year-old Croatian's average rally length of just 2.8 shots highlighted Rublev's ability to dominate from the first strike. The Russian's resurgence after a disappointing Cincinnati quarterfinal exit to Alexandre Muller signals danger for the draw - his last US Open quarterfinal appearance in 2022 came after similarly dominant early rounds.

Ruud's Net Masterclass 

Casper Ruud produced an unexpectedly aggressive masterpiece, dismantling Sebastian Ofner 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(5) in just 89 minutes. The Norwegian, traditionally a baseline grinder, won 89% of net approaches (16/18) in a tactical revolution that caught Ofner completely off guard. Ruud's transformation under new coach Francisco Roig, Nadal's former mentor, has added dimensions to his game that make him dangerous on faster surfaces.

Ofner, who reached the fourth round here in 2023, managed just 11 winners against 28 unforced errors, overwhelmed by Ruud's newfound variety. The Norwegian's drop shot success rate of 85% (11/13) repeatedly drew Ofner forward into uncomfortable positions. This performance marks Ruud's most convincing US Open first-round victory, having previously needed four or five sets in three of his last four openers here. His path to a potential quarterfinal clash with Alcaraz looks significantly clearer after this statement win.