New York, Aug 26 (IANS) Carlos Alcaraz downed big-serving American Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to begin his campaign at Flushing Meadows, where this fortnight Alcaraz is aiming for his second US Open crown and sixth major trophy overall.

With the win, Alcaraz stays on course in the battle for World No. 1. If the Spaniard matches or betters Jannik Sinner’s result, Alcaraz will leave New York atop the ATP Rankings.

Alcaraz boasts a season-leading 55 wins and six titles, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index. Last Monday, Alcaraz lifted his first Cincinnati Open title.

He will next face Mattia Bellucci in the second round. Alcaraz will look to avoid a repeat of his stunning second-round exit last year, when he fell to Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets.

Elsewhere, Casper Ruud registered a 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(5), victory against unseeded Sebastian Ofner in their first-round match in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Ruud, who’s most comfortable on clay, has had mixed success on the hard courts at the Austrailian Open and US Open since his ‘22 final run in Flushing Meadows, where he fell to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. In eliminating Ofner, Ruud collected just his ninth win at a hard-court Grand Slam event since then.

Awaiting Ruud in Round 2 is Belgian Raphael Collignon after he beat Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan, a lucky loser, in straight sets.

If Ruud can advance to his second US Open singles final, he’ll be the first player since Martina Navratilova (1983) to make the singles and mixed doubles finals at the same New York event.

Ruud and Iga Swiatek lost to Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani in this year’s mixed doubles final.

Earlier, Jack Draper, who was beaten by Jannik Sinner in last year’s US Open semifinals, returned to winning ways with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2 result against Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez.

–IANS

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