“What Really Happened?” — Carlos Alcaraz’s Latest Training Session With Holger Rune Ahead of the US Open Sparks Huge Buzz as Tense Moments and Intriguing Scenes Leave Tennis Fans Desperate for Answers
Carlos Alcaraz is in a race to be fit for the main draw of the 2026 US Open, which begins August 30th.
Alcaraz has been sidelined with a wrist injury since April, having last featured on tour at the Barcelona Open.
The Spaniard has missed both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, but remains the world number two.
Alcaraz recently targeted a return at the Cincinnati Open, but withdrew from the ATP Masters 1000 event along with his rival, Jannik Sinner, who is also dealing with injury issues ahead of the US Open.
With a potential comeback at the US Open on the cards, Alcaraz has shown promising signs in training with fellow ATP star Holger Rune.
Carlos Alcaraz’s training session with Holger Rune in Murcia
Alcaraz practiced in Murcia with Rune, who has also spent months out of action due to injury.
The Dane has not played since the Stockholm Open in October last year, where he suffered an Achilles injury.
According to journalist German Abril Reina, Alcaraz’s training session on Thursday lasted nearly four hours.
During that session, he played practice sets with Rune at a very high intensity level.
Alcaraz will not be able to play any warm-up events ahead of the US Open after not receiving a wildcard for the Winston-Salem Open.
He is also not entered in the revamped mixed doubles event in New York, which gets underway on August 25th.
Carlos Alcaraz will drop in the rankings if he withdraws from the US Open
At the time of Alcaraz’s injury, he was comfortably second in the ATP rankings, with a points tally of 13,240, just 110 off Sinner in first.
But having missed out on several tournaments that he went far at last year, Alcaraz is now on the verge of falling in the rankings.
His points total is now 8,160, which is only 70 more than Alexander Zverev in third place.
If Alcaraz pulls out of the US Open, he will lose 2000 more points, having won his sixth major title at Flushing Meadows last season.
Zverev, who suffered a third-round exit at the US Open in 2025, is defending just 100 ATP points.
