Carlos Alcaraz’s rumoured return sparks fresh wrist injury concerns ahead of US Open
Carlos Alcaraz has been told that he is the type of player who could win the US Open despite being out injured for the past four months.
That is according to tennis content creator Gill Gross and esteemed tennis historian and journalist Steve Flink, who discussed several different scenarios when it comes to the Spaniard’s wrist injury.
The 23-year-old hasn’t played a competitive match since sustaining the injury at the Barcelona Open in mid-April, and after much speculation, Alcaraz is scheduled to play at the Cincinnati Masters in August.
Gross mused that if the seven-time major winner cannot make that tournament, he should shut his entire season down and prepare for the 2027 campaign. The commentator also said that Alcaraz is talented enough to hit the ground running and win in New York.
Flink concurred but stressed that Alcaraz has to be extra careful with his wrist, and if he feels discomfort in Cincinnati, he should immediately pull out of the US Open. Indeed, nobody wants another Juan Martin del Potro injury situation.
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Gross said on his YouTube channel, “My logical brain says if he can’t play in Cincinnati, then he should sit out the rest of the season because it’s going to put him in no position to win the US Open and then post-US Open, it’s just not worth it.
“Another part of my brain says, logic doesn’t really work for all-time greats and talents. Maybe he can win the US Open with no prep! The greats break the rules and how it is supposed to work.
“A third part of my brain says tennis players don’t like to sit and do nothing when they’re healthy and really, we can analyse it all we want but the reality is, whenever the wrist is good and healthy that is when he’ll come back.”
Flink agreed that the legends of the sport do defy logic and break all the rules and people’s expectations, just as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer did after injury lay-offs in 2013 and 2017, respectively.
But, the worse scenario would be that Alcaraz’s injury flares up again and then he is not able to defend his Australian Open title in January.
Flink added, “You couldn’t put it past him to win the US Open. But I don’t want to see him rush it and I think it’s a very tricky injury. I don’t want to see him turn into a Del Potro.
“If he starts to feel something in Cincinnati, just get out of there and probably pull out of the US Open immediately. Don’t put yourself in a position where you’re suddenly gone for six more months before you know it and you’re not even back to defend your Australian Open crown.”
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