The fresh new buzz cut sported by Carlos Alcaraz grabbed quite the spotlight at the US Open court. However, it was his stupendous winning performance against American tennis player Reilly Opelka on Tuesday that won hearts. Alcaraz won against Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, and moved to the second round of the US Open. Next, he is set to play Italian Mattia Bellucci.
Alcaraz vs Opelka at US Open 2025 Day 2: Key Highlights
Early exchanges in first set
The opening set was tight as both players locked at 2-2 during the US Open 2025. But on the sixth break point, Alcaraz finally broke through. A strong forehand forced Opelka to make an error, giving Alcaraz a 3-2 lead.
Opelka fights back
Opelka responded with some powerful serving, including a smash that Alcaraz couldn’t reach. This brought the score to 4-2. Opelka then pushed hard to close the gap and managed to make it 4-3.
Alcaraz seals the first set
Alcaraz kept calm and used his forehand strength to finish the first set 6-4. Opelka’s unforced errors from the baseline made the difference, helping Alcaraz move ahead.
A tough second set battle
The second set was much closer. Opelka held his serve strongly, and the match stayed neck-and-neck. But in the 11th game, Alcaraz broke Opelka’s serve at a crucial moment.
One step away from victory
That break proved enough for Alcaraz to win the second set 7-5. With a two-set lead, he was then only one set away from finishing the match and advancing further in the tournament.
Alcaraz ‘buzzes’ past Opelka
Alcaraz, the second seed, easily defeated American Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to move into the second round.
After the match, Alcaraz admitted that the match was tough because Opelka’s strong serve made it hard for him to find his rhythm. Still, he said that he was satisfied with his overall performance. He added that against such players, the key is to stay focused, return as many serves as possible, extend rallies, and take advantage of the few chances to score from the baseline. He further said that it’s never easy to play when the opponent doesn’t allow you to settle into your own game.