Are Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open hopes hanging by a thread? Huge questions still remain
Carlos Alcaraz’s appearance at the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina threw up plenty of talking points, with the presence of a wrist support on his right arm the biggest talking point for tennis fans.
Alcaraz’s excited reaction to Spain’s 1-0 win against Argentina in an uninspiring final was captured on camera and the footage quickly went viral as it was posted on social media accounts.
He also appeared on the pitch before the match started as he was handed the task of bringing the trophy onto the pitch at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The question now is whether Alcaraz will be fit enough to defend a trophy he currently owns, with the US Open now a little over a month away.
Alcaraz’s wrist injury sustained at the Barcelona Open in April was bad enough for him to swiftly pull out of the French Open and then Wimbledon, with the most recent footage released os his recovery suggesting he is a long way short of match fitness.
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The emergence of that footage was quickly followed by a suggestion that Alcaraz may be ready to return for next month’s Cincinnati Open, where he is the defending champion.
But his World Cup final appearance confirmed he still needs support on his wrist even when he is not playing tennis did not bode well for Alcaraz fans hoping to see him back in action for the final Grand Slam of 2026.
Australian player Thanasi Kokkinakis has lived through plenty of injury problems over the course of his career and he urged Alcaraz to make a cautious return to action.
“Wrist injuries are tough and they can be the worst for a tennis player,” Kokkinakis told Tennis365. “We all want to get back as quickly as possible, but you have to be careful not to rush it.”
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Kokkinakis also spoke about the comparison between Alcaraz and his great rival Jannik Sinner, who have been compared favourably to the ‘Big 3’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
“I have played them all and I don’t feel personally like the ‘Big 3’ back in the day were any better than these two we’ve got now,” declared Kokkinakis.
“ I think tennis is always evolving. Of course, I would still say playing Nadal on clay is still the toughest challenge, but what Roger, Rafa and Novak did back in the day and what Alcaraz and Sinner are doing now, it’s amazing.
“It’s hard to pick who is the toughest to play against. Obviously, Djokovic has got all the records, but I think any one of those five on their day can beat anyone.”
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