Carlos Alcaraz is set to compete in the US Open singles tournament for the first time since suffering a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April. The defending champion will face Roman Safiullin in the first round of the tournament. Alcaraz said he believes it is possible to win a grand slam after recovering from a serious injury. He pointed to examples like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have both won grand slams after long injuries.
His season began with a historic win at the Australian Open, where he became the youngest man to complete a career grand slam, according to The Guardian. However, his return to play in Barcelona shortly after reaching the Monte Carlo final ended with an injury to his right wrist. Alcaraz was forced to take time off and could not use his right arm for the first month after the injury. He said that period was hard, but also gave him time to spend with family and friends. The mental challenge of not knowing if he would be ready for future tournaments was difficult to deal with.
Alcaraz had to return to practice just over four weeks ago, which limited his time to build up for competition. He had already missed the French Open and Wimbledon due to the injury. The 23-year-old was eager not to miss the US Open, which is the final grand slam of the year. He admitted that his preparation for this tournament was not ideal. Still, Alcaraz said he and his team believe he is ready to compete. He described the decision to return as not easy, but one he felt was necessary. Alcaraz said he did everything possible to get ready for the tournament, both on and off the court.
He took part in long and intense training sessions to test how his wrist responded. Alcaraz said that the mental battle was harder than the physical recovery from the injury, according to a report from couriermail.com.au. He spoke about intrusive thoughts during his time away from tennis.
Despite the challenges, Alcaraz is determined to make his return to competitive tennis at a major tournament. His return to the US Open marks a significant step in his recovery process. The tournament will be played in the best of five sets format.
Alcaraz’s participation shows his resilience and ambition to continue competing at the highest level.
IMAGE: Carlos Alcaraz Returns to US Open After Wrist Injury DNR Art Department