'I'll get better' - how did Alcaraz look on winning singles return?

After a 139-day wait, Carlos Alcaraz is back to winning ways on the singles court.

The seven-time major winner walked on to Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday to begin his US Open title defence after spending just over four months on the sidelines with a wrist injury.

And he delighted fans with his entertaining brand of tennis and infectious energy as he beat Russia's Roman Safiullin 6-4 6-4 6-4.

Alcaraz was forced to watch from the sidelines as rivals Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner lifted the French Open and Wimbledon titles this summer.

However, the Spaniard is finally back - and grateful to be competing again.

"I missed the crowd, the energy, the competition – I missed everything," a smiling Alcaraz said in his on-court interview.

"I'm just really, really happy that I was able to compete again."

Despite playing with a compression sleeve on his right arm, Alcaraz unleashed his trademark forehand with familiar ferocity. The whippy stroke accounted for the majority of his 28 winners against Safiullin.