‘I felt great’: Alcaraz makes stunning US Open return after 139 days out with injury

NEW YORK CITY: For two hours and 21-minutes on Arthur Ashe, Carlos Alcaraz’s game answered the big question that had accompanied his much-anticipated return to tennis.The 23-year-old Spaniard, playing his first match in 139 days after a wrist injury in mid-April, faced Russia’s Roman Safiullin in the US Open. He pummelled the ball, pulled off impossible gets and picked up shots off his shoelaces, turning defence into delicate winners on his way to a convincing 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win.Alcaraz opened his final service game with a volley winner, caressed inches above the ground, then turned to the crowd, calling for some love, hand on his ear. The spectators roared and Alcaraz’ smile sparked the sun.The second seed underlined that he was playing pain-free.“I felt great. I don’t know how it looked from outside, but from inside, my feeling was that I was hitting the ball normal.