
Following his opening round victory at the ongoing US Open, tennis phenom Carlos Alcaraz has maintained a streak not even held by tennis royalty Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
The young Spaniard defeated Li Tu in the first round in New York, overcoming a second set lapse to record a 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-1 victory. By virtue of his win, Alcaraz has preserved his unbeaten record in opening round matches at Grand Slam events.
Read also
Alcaraz joins elite company
The reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion improved to 15-0 in every first round match he has played at a Grand Slam event till date. The 21-year-old Spanish star has won four titles from his 14 previous Major campaigns and has reached at least the quarter-finals on nine occasions. Alcaraz’s opening round win at the 2024 US Open took his Grand Slam record to an impressive 60 wins and 10 losses.
Three other men maintained an unbeaten first round match streak at Grand Slam events.
1. Bjorn Borg 26-0
The Swedish star finished his career with a perfect 26-0 record in opening round matches at Grand Slams. Borg won 11 Grand Slam titles, and compiled an amazing 141-16 Grand Slam match record.
The Swedish star finished his career with a perfect 26-0 record in opening round matches at Grand Slams. Borg won 11 Grand Slam titles, and compiled an amazing 141-16 Grand Slam match record.
2. Ken Rosewall 15-0
Competing in 15 Grand Slam events during the Open Era, Rosewall was unstoppable in the first round. The Australian won eight Major titles, including the US Open in 1970.
Competing in 15 Grand Slam events during the Open Era, Rosewall was unstoppable in the first round. The Australian won eight Major titles, including the US Open in 1970.
3. Rod Laver 11-0
The Australian legend won all 11 of the first round matches he played in Open Era Grand Slam tournaments that used the 128-player draw, seven round format. During these 11 campaigns, Laver won titles at Wimbledon (1968 and 1969), the French Open (1969) and the US Open (1969).
The Australian legend won all 11 of the first round matches he played in Open Era Grand Slam tournaments that used the 128-player draw, seven round format. During these 11 campaigns, Laver won titles at Wimbledon (1968 and 1969), the French Open (1969) and the US Open (1969).
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- I, like writer of this wonderful article, also picked Noskova to win this entire thing. I would love it if she and Andreeva are in the final.Rapunzel12-11-2026
- "Priorities", Saba... spend less time in front of cameras, anti-Social Media, selfies and back to Tennis.
mandoist12-11-2026 - Tell this to Andreeva!
mandoist12-11-2026 - Andreeva with 11 games in a row to add to Saba's downward spiral issue !!! Personal feelings aside... Jess Pegula may want to reassess her evaluation of Mirra's abilities.
mandoist12-11-2026 - I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.
mandoist09-11-2026 - Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!
mandoist09-11-2026 - "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?
mandoist09-11-2026 - Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.
mandoist08-11-2026 - Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??
mandoist08-11-2026







