Roman Safiullin, a lethal threat to Alcaraz at the US Open

The name Roman Safiullin resonates strongly following the draw for the final bracket of the US Open 2026, positioning him as the first opponent of Carlos Alcaraz after his return to the courts. This 29-year-old Russian, currently ranked 98th in the world, knows how to defeat the Murcian and thrives in major events. We’ll tell you how he plays and why he commands so much respect among the best.

A strange element, a rare bird in the tennis world, and a serious threat to the best on big stages. This is how Roman Safiullin can be defined, an atypical yet dangerous player who will test Carlos Alcaraz's wrist and physical condition upon his return to the courts in the US Open 2026.

Why should Safiullin be considered a threat to Alcaraz at the US Open 2026?

Perhaps the occasional tennis viewer thinks we are exaggerating, that it is illogical to put Safiullin in the media spotlight and present him as an uncomfortable opponent for Alcaraz at Flushing Meadows. Some readers who are as unversed as they are grumpy may accuse this outlet and all those who speak in the same terms about the Russian of putting the cart before the horse or deploying a preemptive arsenal of excuses.

That’s why it is important to consider the arguments that make us see Roman Safiullin as a true test for this Alcaraz. And we emphasize "this" because it is evident that the Spaniard cannot be at his best level in any aspect of the game and that facing a "re-debut" after months without competing is never easy, especially not against a player with the characteristics of the one from Podolsk.

Although it is true that he is ranked 98th in the world at 29 years old (he looks older) and that his appearance does not seem to correspond to that of an elite tennis player, the truth is that the Russian reached 36th in the ATP ranking, was a quarterfinalist in a Grand Slam (Wimbledon 2023), and boasts 3 victories against top-10 opponents.

One of those victories was against Carlos Alcaraz at the Masters 1000 in Paris back in 2023. The reality is that Safiullin is one of those cold-blooded tennis players capable of freezing themselves with poor, bewildering performances, but also capable of shining brightly with a display of powerful, flat shots that, on a day of inspiration, can dismantle anyone.

What should Alcaraz do to avoid problems against Safiullin at the US Open 2026?

The inconsistency that marks his career stems from that aggressive, sometimes kamikaze, play that lacks variety and has an innate ability not to give rhythm to his opponents. Deep, powerful, flat shots, without stepping outside the baseline and with an offensive nature, but also good mobility when counter-attacking. Those are the virtues of Safiullin, but also his unforgivable defects, since playing with such a level of risk leads to total tactical blackouts and matches worthy of being forgotten.

The arsenal of shots and technical and tactical arguments that Alcaraz possesses is infinitely greater, and he must put them into practice to be the one who dictates the pace of the match. Anything that involves getting bogged down in a baseline exchange of cannon shots without rhyme or reason, playing at the same speed and entering Safiullin's relentless rhythm, is dangerous. This is what happened in Paris, on a dismal evening for Carlos when he was errant with his shots and dull-minded.

The head-to-head between Alcaraz and Safiullin is 1-1

He learned the lesson and a year later, at the Olympic event, he subdued the Russian with constants of speed, height, and spin, winning clearly by 6-4 6-2. That should be the way; vary the serves a lot, play with a high percentage of first serves, open the court with crosscourt forehands full of spin, have patience in the quest for the winning shot, avoid dizzying and flat exchanges with sliced backhands and high balls. In short, be the one to decide how the game is played.

It won’t be easy to do that with such a long period of inactivity behind him and the insecurity that comes with returning to competition after such a serious injury as the one Carlos Alcaraz has suffered. However, he must push himself to start strong and acknowledge that it could be a complicated match and that Roman Safiullin is a dangerous opponent, but the only one who can cause the Murcian to lose is himself. A comfortable victory would restore the Spaniard's aspirations and confidence at the US Open 2026.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Roman Safiullin, un peligro letal para Alcaraz en el US Open