Fans are still eagerly anticipated the return of Carlos Alcaraz following a wrist injury the Spaniard suffered at the Barcelona Open back in April.
The star tweaked his wrist in the first round of the clay court event against Otto Virtanen, which has subsequently forced him out of five months of action.
Alcaraz missed the rest of the clay court season and followed it up by missing the entirety of grass court swing, including his Wimbledon title defence.
He was expected to return for the North American hardcourt swing, including the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open, but he has withdrawn from both.
His next available tournament is now the US Open, which he has signed up to, but his appearance at Flushing Meadows is far from certain at this point.
Speaking on his podcast Served, Andy Roddick discussed Alcaraz’s chances of playing the US Open this year.
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“No one’s going to want to hear this, I think it’s really hard to come back and have your first tournament be three out of five sets,” said Roddick.
“I think the US Open’s in doubt. And I don’t know, I’m not a doctor. This isn’t one of those ones where I come on and say I have some information.
“It’s just when you’re taking your time and you’ve been so diligent about being safe and not being irresponsible, that risk comes back, all of a sudden he’s in a five setter first round of the US Open.
“That would be counter to everything that he has done so far with taking his time and being patient with his injury. If you don’t know where your wrist is at or let’s say iyou think it’s 100%.
“But the first time you play an extended format and it’s four hours, it’s going to feel some kind of way. Anytime you come back from an extended injury, you play that first game, you go in and your team sits down and goes, ‘How did it feel? How is it different? How are we going to go about this?’
“Having those conversations after playing an hour and 20 minutes in Cincinnati versus potentially having to play, you know, seven five-setter in 14 or 15 days, I think it’s different. Now, if anyone can do it and just jump in mid-stream, it is Carlos.
“But it would just be counter to the way that they’ve gone about this injury, at least outside. I think I’d be surprised if he just rocked up and played the US Open now.
“Again, I have no information right or maybe it’s just I’m close but let’s be extra cautious and I will be ready to go at the US Open.
“That’s certainly an option also and I hope that’s I would love nothing more than to be dead wrong on this thing. It’s just outside looking in in a perfect scenario. You want to go kick some rust off and kind of see where you’re at.”
Both Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will arrive at the US Open, if they play, having not played a warm-up event on the North American hardcourt swing.
While Alcaraz is still dealing with his wrist issues, Sinner is working through a knee injury, which he has been nursing back in Italy ahead of the US Open.
