'I felt the love' - how did Alcaraz look on winning singles return?

Alcaraz's singles return to the US Open began with a winning performance on Arthur Ashe Stadium. After a 139-day absence due to a wrist injury, the 23-year-old Spaniard defeated Russia's Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Eager to compete again, Alcaraz expressed his gratitude for being able to return to the court and his happiness at finally playing a match.

Despite playing with a compression sleeve on his arm, the defending champion showcased his signature forehand with typical ferocity, accounting for the majority of his 28 winners. The crowd celebrated each of Alcaraz's winners with a "vamos," a Spanish term meaning "let's go." Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash noted that Alcaraz celebrated every small victory, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the energy from the audience throughout the tournament.

While his serve was not as dominant as usual, Alcaraz focused on improving this aspect of his game as he continued his comeback. Despite some doubts about competing in a best-of-five set match, Alcaraz is confident he will improve and face tougher opponents in the future. His path to the final seems more promising now, as world number one Stefanos Tsitsipas was eliminated earlier in the day.