Grigor Dimitrov defeated Alex Molcan at the US Open on hard court in the first round, recovering from two sets down to win 6–7, 6–7, 6–1, 7–5, 7–6. As the heavy favourite at 1.17 odds, Dimitrov's comeback victory aligned with pre-match expectations, though Molcan's early dominance in the opening two tiebreaks suggested a potential upset was brewing. The Bulgarian's resilience in clawing back through the third set and edging both the fourth and deciding fifth frames demonstrated the mental fortitude required at Grand Slam level. This result maintained Dimitrov's progression through the draw and underlined his capacity to recover from adverse positions in best-of-five tennis.