A Long Road Back to Flushing Meadows
Carlos Alcaraz is back in New York ready to defend his US Open title, but the 23-year-old Spaniard has been remarkably candid about just how difficult the journey back to match fitness has been. Sidelined since his opening match at the Barcelona Open in April with what is believed to be tenosynovitis, an inflammation of the tendon sheath inside the wrist, Alcaraz went months without playing a singles match and says the psychological toll was the hardest part of the ordeal.
Speaking ahead of his first-round clash against Russia's Roman Safiullin, Alcaraz described a recovery process full of uncertainty. The first month was especially tough, as he could not use his right arm at all. Once he began practicing again, the bigger challenge became not knowing when, or whether, he would be ready to compete. "Those intrusive thoughts were the most difficult things to deal with in this process," he explained, noting he genuinely feared missing the entire North American summer swing.
Trusting His Team and Staying True to His Game
Despite criticism from some high-profile voices who questioned whether jumping straight into best-of-five-set Grand Slam tennis was wise, Alcaraz insists the decision was made carefully. Long, intense training sessions gave his team the confidence that his body was responding well, and he stresses he has made zero technical changes to protect the wrist. His goal is simply to be himself on court.
As a tune-up, he took to the court alongside 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in the mixed doubles event earlier this week, a surreal but welcome return to match conditions. He still wears a compression sleeve on his playing arm as a precaution. Seeded second at the tournament, Alcaraz won the US Open title in 2022 and again in 2025, beating rival Jannik Sinner in last year's final. TennisDraw users have been closely monitoring his bracket position given the fitness questions surrounding his comeback.
