"I would be very surprised if Alcaraz plays the US Open"

Pedro de Pablos | 11 Jul 2026 | 14.57

"I would be very surprised if Alcaraz plays the US Open." Source: Getty Images.

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Carlos Alcaraz is already in the final phase of recovery from his wrist injury that has kept him out of the circuit since the Barcelona ATP 500. Although the plan is to return at the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, where he defends his title, Greg Rusedski sees little chance for the Spanish player to compete in the US Open.

Alcaraz won the last Grand Slam of the year in 2025, and he is defending a large number of points in the latter part of the year. However, in such a complicated injury like a wrist injury, it is ideal to proceed slowly. The feelings in Cincinnati will be crucial in making a decision to play best-of-five matches at the US Open, but Rusedski has stated on his podcast 'Off Court' that based on what he has seen in the videos he doesn't see him ready yet.

"I would be very surprised if he played the US Open, because what I noticed in the video is that he hits the ball with little force, barely hits the ball, and does certain movements. And when he served, did you notice that he didn't complete a single serve? He performed the full movement, landed, dropped the ball, and then started the movement again. To me, posting a video like that, I suppose it gives you publicity to say, 'Look, I'm working hard to try to recover,' but it raises more questions than answers for me and indicates that there is something much more serious if he is really not hitting the ball well."

The circuit needs Alcaraz back

Alcaraz posted a video a few days ago where he was not seen hitting the ball yet at high speed with his right hand. In fact, in a large part of the video, he is seen practicing the movement and mechanics, but he prefers not to stress the joint until a few weeks have passed. The Cincinnati Masters 1000 begins on August 13th, so he still has a month to finish his preparation, although at the moment there are still many uncertainties surrounding his figure.

Rusedski's opinion is not an attack, but rather a sign of concern as the return of the circuit's biggest superstar continues to be delayed. In fact, he has stated, "We miss him, let's be honest. That rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz was incredible during those two years, and that Roland Garros match was my favorite match of all time. The good news is that Zverev has stepped up since he left, since the Australian Open. That's the good news, but we need him."

Rusedski urges Alcaraz to be patient with his injury

In fact, Greg does not want Alcaraz to rush or skip stages too quickly in such a delicate injury. "He is a superstar, and I hope he recovers and finds a way to solve this wrist issue. Even if he needs to rest for the rest of the season and can return completely recovered at the end, it would be positive. So take the time you need, don't take risks, and let's hope you recover, because we don't want you away from tennis, as you are essential for men's tennis," he concluded.

For now, the Spanish player is taking his return slowly, he is listening to the opinions of professionals and is not letting himself be carried away by the eagerness he must feel to return to the circuit when he sees how Sinner continues to thrive in the circuit. In fact, Alcaraz has already lost the number 2 ranking to Zverev, but that is the least important thing at this moment. The key is for him to return healthy and at 100% to shine as he always has done.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Me sorprendería mucho si Alcaraz juega el US Open"

ATP