Carlos Alcaraz made a successful return to action at the US Open with a straight sets win over Roman Safiullin, but it is too early to assess whether the defending champion is ready to challenge for Grand Slam glory in New York.
That’s the verdict of Patrick Mouratoglou, the former coach of Serena Williams who is back in the coaching box at the US Open with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Alcaraz eased to victory against an erratic Safiullin, with the Spaniard insisting he felt no pain from his wrist in his first match back in over four months.
His progress and the absence of his great rival Jannik Sinner due to injury have inevitably fuelled hopes that Alcaraz could contend for another US Open title, but Mouratoglou is urging caution in those verdicts.
“It’s too early to know if he can win the US Open,” he declared in a LinkedIn post.
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“A Grand Slam is a completely different challenge: five-set matches, two weeks of competition, and a physical and mental load that practice simply cannot reproduce.
“What I wanted to look at first was his consistency. With Carlos, the high level has never been the question. He will produce incredible shots. He will create things very few players in the world can create. The important question, especially after such a long absence, is what happens when his level drops.
“How low does it go? How long does it last? Does he lose concentration for two or three points and immediately come back? Does he give away a game through unforced errors? Or does the drop last an entire set?
“That distinction is extremely important. Almost nobody can maintain their highest level throughout a five-set match. Every player has highs and lows. Champions find ways to make their lows good enough and short enough to stay in control.
“There was another thing I wanted to see from Carlos: creativity. The best Carlos is a Carlos who enjoys himself on court. By “having fun”, I don’t mean joking or entertaining the crowd. I mean feeling free enough to be creative, to see the game and express the incredible variety he has.
“After four months without competition, that isn’t automatic. Pressure can affect creativity. So can the feeling of being underprepared. And Carlos has another source of pressure here: Jannik Sinner is not in the draw, which creates a huge opportunity for him.”
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Alcaraz will take on Jaime Faria in the second round, with Mouratoglou suggesting he will need to build match after match towards the second week at Flushing Meadows.
This first win is encouraging, but the real test will come as the tournament progresses. How will his body respond after several matches? How will he recover? Can he maintain his consistency when the level of the opponents rises?
“We’ll learn much more in the next rounds. One thing hasn’t changed, though. If Carlos feels free enough to be creative and keeps his low moments under control, he is still the man to beat at this US Open. Even after 139 days away.”
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