“US Open Nightmare?” — Carlos Alcaraz Facing a Stunning Withdrawal Prediction Despite Confirming His Return, as Fresh Doubts Over His Fitness Threaten to Derail His Grand Slam Plans
Carlos Alcaraz announced on Thursday that he will make his return to action at the US Open after over four months on the sidelines.
The Spaniard suffered a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April and has only recently been training at high intensity.
Alcaraz‘s announcement was followed by Jannik Sinner withdrawing from the tournament, with the Italian continuing to struggle with a knee issue.
Many had predicted Alcaraz to pull out of the US Open, considering the players who have had their careers derailed by wrist injuries, including Dominic Thiem and Juan Martin del Potro.
Ahead of his appearance at Flushing Meadows, former British player Greg Rusedski said he still expects the world number two to withdraw from singles.
Greg Rusedski reacts to Carlos Alcaraz’s announcement
Reacting to the news in an episode of ‘Off Court with Greg‘, Rusedski said of Alcaraz: “I mean, you have got to think, why would you start back with a wrist injury in three out of five sets?
“I saw on social media that there was a guy who said he had a four-hour practice session with Holger Rune, hitting a lot of balls. That’s great. That’s one practice session.
“The other aspect, if he’s actually going to play the tournament, maybe he’s thinking three out of five sets, I can win them in straight sets. I can build myself up. I get a day off in between every match, but I think it’s a huge risk. I would be very surprised if he plays in the singles, but he says ‘I’m back’.
“I’m surprised. You know, this is where it’s questionable. That’s why I think the relationship might have split with Juan Carlos Ferrero, because I don’t think he would have allowed him to take this sort of risk if he’s not 100% right, and he’s a strong personality, but let’s wait and see.
“I hope he’s healthy. I hope he’s able to play the US Open. But I’m not sure this is the smartest thing, unless it’s just a publicity stunt, and he’s just going to play in the mixed doubles and then not even play the singles. Who knows?
“We don’t know until he shows up in the blocks for the opening first round match in New York what’s going to happen. I don’t think he’s going to play. I think he says he’s back, but I think he might just participate in the mixed doubles.
“I would be shocked if he plays in the singles. He has lost early when he hasn’t played tournaments for a long time. It’s one thing to practice.
“It’s another thing to play an event. And you’ve got to get those matches under your belt and that feeling. There’s more tension. There’s more stress on the body. There are all these things to deal with.”
Greg Rusedski said Carlos Alcaraz should’ve played a warm-up event
Rusedski continued: “He’s the biggest star in men’s tennis. No question about it. His explosivity, the character, the style, the look. He’s got everything.
“He’s the guy you want to see doing everything right out there, because he’s an amalgamation of the big three. It’s Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal combined into one player, which is unheard of.
“So he is our biggest star in the sport, and we all want to see him back. So fingers crossed. I hope I’m wrong and that he’s healthy and ready to go.
“But I’m not so sure yet. I want to see if he actually lines up, and that’s the big question mark. But you’re right. He’ll probably do the mixed doubles.
“He’ll do the evening sessions, and then he’ll probably say, well, maybe it’s just a little bit too soon. That’s my read of the situation. I hope I’m wrong. I hope he’s back fully, but I’d be very surprised.
“He hasn’t played an event before. The mixed doubles, no disrespect, but that’s not a proper tennis event.
“That’s half a court. That’s a little bit of, you know, social giggle trying to win a major tournament, which is still very special, but it’s not the same thing as playing singles where you have to cover the whole court. That’s a totally different thing. You need to have that lead-up event.
“If he was playing in Winston-Salem this week, I’d say, okay, yeah, the US Open looks likely, because of the fact that he’s playing a proper tour event to give himself that preparation for a three-out-of-five event.
“But I don’t see that happening right now, and that’s why I’m just thinking this is maybe publicity. Maybe I’m wrong. We want him back, but we want him healthy for a decade.
“We don’t want him back for a week, and oh my gosh, he tweaks it somehow in a three-out-of-five set match in the second or third round. That would be the worst-case scenario.”
Alcaraz is aiming to become the first man to win the US Open title in consecutive years since Roger Federer in 2008.
