Carlos Alcaraz defeated Reilly Opelka 6–4, 7–5, 6–4 in the first round of the US Open on hard court on 26 August 2025, confirming his status as the heavy pre-match favourite with odds of 1.05 to Opelka's 14.58. The Spanish world number one controlled the encounter with consistent baseline play, securing breaks at decisive moments in each set to advance without significant resistance. Opelka, the American big server, struggled to impose his usual serving dominance and found few opportunities to pressure Alcaraz's return game or dictate rallies from the baseline. The straightforward victory maintains Alcaraz's formidable form on hard courts and sets up a favourable trajectory through the draw.