Alcaraz Wins Opening Match at US Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Li Tu of Australia during their first round match at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2024. The US Open tournament runs from 26 August through 08 September.  EPA/BRIAN HIRSHFELD
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Li Tu of Australia during their first round match at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2024. The US Open tournament runs from 26 August through 08 September. EPA/BRIAN HIRSHFELD
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Alcaraz Wins Opening Match at US Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Li Tu of Australia during their first round match at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2024. The US Open tournament runs from 26 August through 08 September.  EPA/BRIAN HIRSHFELD
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Li Tu of Australia during their first round match at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2024. The US Open tournament runs from 26 August through 08 September. EPA/BRIAN HIRSHFELD

Carlos Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 15 straight Grand Slam matches with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Li Tu on Tuesday night in the first round of the US Open, The Associated Press reported.
The No. 3 seed from Spain won the French Open and Wimbledon titles earlier this year, giving him four major championships. If he can add another U.S. Open title to the one he captured in 2022, Alcaraz would join Rod Laver (1969) and Rafael Nadal (2010) as the only men to capture those three Grand Slam titles in the same year during the Open era.
Alcaraz played just one match since losing to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Paris Olympics, then cut short a practice session before the US Open as a precaution after twisting his right ankle. But he seemed to move fine over the final two sets against the qualifier from Australia and moved on to a second-round matchup Thursday against Botic van de Zandschulp.



Juventus Earns 2nd Straight 3-0 Win, Como Gets First Serie A Point in 2 Decades 

Juventus' Dušan Vlahovic scores the 0-3 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Juventus FC, in Verona, Italy, 26 August 2024. (EPA)
Juventus' Dušan Vlahovic scores the 0-3 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Juventus FC, in Verona, Italy, 26 August 2024. (EPA)
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Juventus Earns 2nd Straight 3-0 Win, Como Gets First Serie A Point in 2 Decades 

Juventus' Dušan Vlahovic scores the 0-3 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Juventus FC, in Verona, Italy, 26 August 2024. (EPA)
Juventus' Dušan Vlahovic scores the 0-3 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Juventus FC, in Verona, Italy, 26 August 2024. (EPA)

Juventus became the only Serie A team to win both of its opening two matches of the season after Dušan Vlahovic scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Verona on Monday.

Right-back Nicolo Savona also scored on his full debut as Juventus earned a second straight 3-0 win.

Vlahovic put the visitors ahead after 28 minutes when he found space in the Verona backline and fought off the attention of three defenders to steer the ball home from 12 yards.

Savona doubled the lead with a header 11 minutes later and Vlahovic rounded off the scoring from the penalty spot eight minutes into the second half.

Verona is ninth with three points.

Meanwhile, Como earned its first Serie A point in more than two decades when Cesc Fabregas’ team came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Cagliari.

Fabregas, the former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder, helped guide Como back into the top flight last season after a 21-year absence, but the Lombardy-based club lost its opener 3-0 to Juventus.

However, it showed resilience on a sunny evening in Sardinia.

Roberto Piccolo put the host ahead when he stole in between a hesitant defender and goalkeeper to nod home after 44 minutes.

The goal marked the fifth season in a row that the 23-year-old striker has scored for a different Serie A club, after previous stints with Lecce, Empoli, Atalanta and Spezia.

Como equalized eight minutes into the second period. Alberto Dossena headed down a corner kick from the right and Como-born Patrick Cutrone was on hand to dispatch the ball high into the net.

Both goalkeepers made good saves in the last 15 minutes to maintain the stalemate.