Carlos Alcaraz hasn’t played since April which casts doubts about his ability to go deep in New York. Roman Safiullin will fancy his chances here and can take a set off the two-time champion.
| Roman Safiullin | Carlos Alcaraz | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Russia | Spain |
| Age | 29 (7 August 1997) | 23 (5 May 2003) |
| Height | 6'1" (1.85m) | 6'0" (1.83m) |
| Plays | Right-Handed | Right-Handed |
| Ranking | 99 | 3 |
| Career High | 36 (January 2024) | 1 (September 2022) |
| ATP Tour Titles | 0 | 26 |
| 2026 ATP Tour Titles | 0 | 2 |
| Grand Slam Titles | 0 | 7 |
| US Open Best Result | Second Round (2023, 2024, 2025) | Winner (2022, 2024) |
HTH
Roman Safiullin is 1-1 against Carlos Alcaraz, his sole victory coming on a hard court.
| Year | Event | Surface | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Paris Olympics | Clay | R16 | Alcaraz | 6-4 6-2 |
| 2023 | Paris Masters | Hard | R32 | Safiullin | 6-3 6-4 |
Safiullin Unfancied in New York
Roman Safiullin dropped out of the Top 200 in March, gaining some confidence on the Challenger circuit where he won clay court events in Oeiras and Mauthausen.
The Russian went on an unlikely run at Wimbledon, beating Andrey Rublev, Botic van de Zandschulp and Joao Fonseca before a fourth round defeat to Novak Djokovic.
Safiullin sneaked back into the Top 100 before Winston Salem but couldn’t make it count, beaten 7-6 4-6 6-3 by Hugo Grenier in the first round.
Alcaraz Returns
Carlos Alcaraz started the year with 16 consecutive victories, winning the Australian Open and Qatar Open. His first loss came against Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semi-finals.
The 23-year-old went out early in Miami before switching to clay. He went close to defending his title in Monte Carlo, beaten 7-6 6-3 by Jannik Sinner in the final.
The Spaniard slipped to World No.2 before suffering a wrist injury in Barcelona. He hasn’t played since which casts doubts about his ability to make a deep run at the US Open.
Alcaraz discussed his condition before the tournament, saying: “It's really challenging. Probably, you know, in terms of preparation and everything, it is not the best time. But we, my team and me, believe that I'm ready."
"I've got to trust my team, I've got to trust my people that tell me it's going be fine. I just have to go 100%, and right now I think with the practices I have done so far, it's been all good."
How to Watch Roman Safiullin vs Carlos Alcaraz Live
- Event: 2026 US Open
- Round: First Round
- Date: Monday 31 August 2026
The Roman Safiullin vs Carlos Alcaraz match at the 2026 US Open is available to stream live for registered users on Stake.
Stake is our top-recommended platform for watching tennis live online. They offer high-definition, low-latency streams alongside competitive in-play betting odds so you can follow every point in real time.
Steps to Stream the Match Live:
- Create an Account: Visit Stake.com via our official link to open an account.
- Fund Your Account: Make a minimum deposit using your preferred payment method.
- Locate the Match: Go to the Tennis tab under Live Events and select Roman Safiullin vs Carlos Alcaraz.
- Start Streaming: Click the Live Stream icon on the match screen to open the video feed.*
*Geo-restrictions apply. Users must be 18+ and hold a funded account to view live streams. Please gamble responsibly.