2022 US Open Champion Carlos Alcaraz bested Reilly Opelka by 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to begin his campaign at Flushing Meadows on a high. The Spaniard came up with his best against the lanky player at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday.

Alcaraz admitted it was a tricky game against the big-serving American, but he was delighted with his performance. 

“Today was a really difficult one against a really great player,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “With [Reilly’s] serve, I couldn’t get that rhythm I wanted to get in the match, but just really happy with everything I’ve done today. I think the return was one of the best things I did today and then I just tried to pay my best tennis, be focused on the serve. I think overall, I did a great performance today.”

The number two seed said it was imperative for him to stay focused on the job and put as many returns as possible against the big American.

“You feel like nothing depends on you, it always depends on him and the way he serves, the way he plays from the baseline,” Alcaraz said of the challenge of facing Opelka. “You just have to be focused, put as many returns in as you can, try to be in the rally and try to win the points that he lets you play from the baseline. It’s really difficult when you play someone who doesn’t let you play your game.”

Alcaraz had suffered a shocking second-round exit in the previous edition of the US Open as he was bested by the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp and he would want to make a deeper run at the Flushing Meadows.

The Spaniard will next take on Italy’s Mattia Bellucci in the second round of the New York Major.