NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen rallied from a set down to reach the US Open second round on Monday, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz made a winning return after nearly five months away from singles competition.
Zheng recovered to beat fellow qualifier Kristina Liutova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Zheng said she had been ill a few days earlier and had felt dizzy at one point during the match. "It was really tough for me physically and mentally. It was my first Grand Slam main draw win in more than a year," she said.
Zheng will next face the winner of Tuesday's first-round match between 12th seed Belinda Bencic and Yulia Putintseva.
Two other Chinese players were eliminated. Wang Xiyu lost to Poland's eighth seed Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-3, while Argentina's Marco Trungelliti rallied past Shang Juncheng 0-6, 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in 3 hours and 27 minutes.
In the men's singles, second seed Alcaraz defeated Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
It was the Spaniard's first singles match in 139 days. A right wrist injury sustained early in the European clay-court season had kept him off the singles court since April. He returned to competition in the US Open mixed doubles last week, partnering Serena Williams, before beginning his singles title defense on Monday.
"After the match, my body felt great. I'm just really, really happy that I made it finally," said Alcaraz, who now faces Portugal's Jaime Faria.
Women's top seed Aryna Sabalenka opened her bid for a third consecutive US Open title with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Colombia's Camila Osorio. The Belarusian will face qualifier Polina Iatcenko in the second round.
13th seed Naomi Osaka overcame Anastasia Zakharova 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3) in two hours and two minutes.
Stefanos Tsitsipas came from a set and a break down to upset 10th seed Arthur Fils of France 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-4, while 23rd seed Andrey Rublev fought back from two sets down to defeat Finland's Otto Virtanen 6-7 (5), 6-7 (0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
11th seed Frances Tiafoe also survived a five-set test, recovering from two sets to one down to edge fellow American Martin Damm 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 after three hours and 48 minutes.
Matteo Berrettini beat 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-0, bringing the Swiss veteran's Grand Slam career to an end.
On Tuesday, Alexander Zverev, Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva will begin their singles campaigns. ■
