A Champion Under Scrutiny Before the Tournament Even Begins
Carlos Alcaraz arrives at Flushing Meadows as the defending US Open champion, but the buzz surrounding his return has been anything but celebratory. The seven-time Grand Slam winner has been sidelined since a wrist injury forced him out of the Barcelona Open in April, and his path back to match fitness has drawn skepticism from multiple corners of the tennis world. Former US Open champion Andy Roddick and former British number one Laura Robson are among those who have expressed concern, and now 1997 US Open finalist Greg Rusedski has gone even further, predicting that Russian opponent Roman Safiullin could send Alcaraz packing in the opening round.
Alcaraz himself acknowledged that his comeback has been partly a mental hurdle, telling reporters he needed convincing that his wrist could handle top-level competition. His recent mixed doubles appearances alongside Serena Williams at an exhibition event revealed a noticeably reduced first-serve speed, adding more fuel to the skeptics.
Rusedski Pushes Back on Critics of His Criticism
On his podcast, Rusedski firmly dismissed suggestions that his concerns were unfair, insisting his worry comes from genuine admiration for Alcaraz. His central argument: the world's best players typically compete in a warm-up event before a Grand Slam, preferably a best-of-three format, to rebuild match sharpness. Alcaraz skipped a conventional warm-up tournament and went straight into a best-of-five-set Grand Slam draw. Rusedski pointed to Roger Federer as a model of careful preparation, noting that Federer would log significant court time before any major. Whether Alcaraz has fully stress-tested his wrist in long practice sets remains unclear. TennisDraw users have been divided on Alcaraz's chances in this opener, making it one of the most-debated first-round picks on the app.
