Defending Champion Alcaraz Advances as Injured Koepfer Retires 

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz plays a backhand return against Germany's Dominik Koepfer during the US Open tennis tournament men's singles first round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 29, 2023. (AFP)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz plays a backhand return against Germany's Dominik Koepfer during the US Open tennis tournament men's singles first round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 29, 2023. (AFP)
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Defending Champion Alcaraz Advances as Injured Koepfer Retires 

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz plays a backhand return against Germany's Dominik Koepfer during the US Open tennis tournament men's singles first round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 29, 2023. (AFP)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz plays a backhand return against Germany's Dominik Koepfer during the US Open tennis tournament men's singles first round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 29, 2023. (AFP)

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the second round of the US Open on Tuesday after his opponent, German Dominik Koepfer, retired with an injury during their primetime match in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 20-year-old top seed from Spain was leading 6-2, 3-2 when Koepfer retired, having rolled his ankle at a grimace-inducing angle minutes into the match.

Alcaraz will play Lloyd Harris of South Africa in the second round.

"He's a great player, he has big shots so I have to be really focused on the match," said Alcaraz. "Obviously (it) is going to be a tough one."

Alcaraz drew a packed crowd to the iconic American stadium, but the affair quickly unraveled as underdog Koepfer stopped short along the baseline in the first game, twisting his left ankle and losing much hope of putting up a fight.

He took a medical timeout to have his ankle taped and returned to the court with the score at deuce but was clearly not at full strength and Alcaraz easily converted a break point with a well-placed drop shot.

The German showed grit as he fended off a break point in the third game of the first set but was overheard telling his team that his ankle was in terrible shape, as his camp questioned whether he should continue.

Koepfer buried his head in his towel after Alcaraz forced him into a forehand error to convert on a break point chance in the seventh game.

Wimbledon champion Alcaraz was in fine form, sending over 19 winners with few mistakes across the match, and broke Koepfer to love in the third game of the second set after the German whacked a backhand shot out of bounds.

Koepfer fended off a pair of break point chances in the fifth game before solemnly walking to the net to resign.

"Obviously I have to give credit to him," Alcaraz said in on-court remarks after the match. "First step on the court, I felt great... the same energy that I felt last year."

Alcaraz will lose his world number one spot when the tournament wraps after rival Novak Djokovic demolished Frenchman Alexandre Muller in his opening match on Monday, a result that meant the Serb will replace him at the top of the rankings.



Neymar Scores his 1st Goal since Returning to Santos in Brazil

Neymar of Santos celebrates a goal during a Campeonato Paulista soccer match between Santos and Água Santa, at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Brazil, 16 February 2025.  EPA/GUILHERME DIONIZIO
Neymar of Santos celebrates a goal during a Campeonato Paulista soccer match between Santos and Água Santa, at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Brazil, 16 February 2025. EPA/GUILHERME DIONIZIO
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Neymar Scores his 1st Goal since Returning to Santos in Brazil

Neymar of Santos celebrates a goal during a Campeonato Paulista soccer match between Santos and Água Santa, at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Brazil, 16 February 2025.  EPA/GUILHERME DIONIZIO
Neymar of Santos celebrates a goal during a Campeonato Paulista soccer match between Santos and Água Santa, at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Brazil, 16 February 2025. EPA/GUILHERME DIONIZIO

Neymar scored his first goal for Santos since returning to Brazil when he converted a penalty Sunday in a 3-1 win over Sao Paulo-based Água Santa.
Finding the net from the spot in the 14th minute of the Sao Paulo state championship match will provide the 33-year-old star some relief after a tough restart.
Thaciano in the 26th and Guilherme, with an assist by Neymar, in the 70th rounded out the scoring for Santos.
So far, Neymar has not managed to play all 90 minutes in a match for Santos. His performances were below par in the first three games for the club, but he showed some improvement on Sunday as he continues his recovery from a knee injury, The Associated Press reported.
Neymar officially returned to soccer in October after an entire year out.
He confirmed last month that his contract with Saudi club Al-Hilal had been terminated by mutual consent. He had an injury-marred spell at Al-Hilal, where he played only seven matches and scored once.
Neymar has signed a six-month contract with Santos, which he said could be extended later.
In his first professional spell at Santos from 2009 to 2013, he scored 138 goals in 225 official matches.