Tennis legend gives Carlos Alcaraz a serious heads-up about a comeback just days before the US Open.
A tennis great has shared some doubts about Carlos Alcaraz playing in the upcoming US Open.
Alcaraz, who has won seven Grand Slam titles, hasn’t played since his first match at the Barcelona Open in April. He’s been out with a long-lasting wrist injury, missing both the French Open and Wimbledon.
Last week, it was confirmed that Alcaraz will take part in the US Open, but he won’t face the world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who pulled out due to injury. It’s still unclear if Alcaraz will play in the men’s singles, which starts on August 30. However, he is set to team up with Serena Williams in the mixed doubles event starting August 25.
Even though Alcaraz is the current men’s singles champion, former world No. 4 and 1997 US Open finalist Greg Rusedski thinks people should manage their expectations because Alcaraz has been off the court for a while. He said he’d be surprised if Alcaraz plays singles.
On his podcast, Rusedski explained, “Yes, Alcaraz has put in countless hours on court, but now he’s in New York where he can practice with top players every day. He might decide about singles after the mixed doubles event. Plus, he shares a clothing sponsor with Serena, so that’s great publicity for him.”
He added, “Alcaraz hasn’t been in the spotlight lately. He can practice with great players like Sascha Zverev and Novak Djokovic to see how his wrist feels. But practicing isn’t the same as playing three out of five sets in a match. There are still many questions, and honestly, I’d be surprised if he plays singles.”
Rusedski continued, “He says he’s ready and will play mixed doubles first. Then he’ll decide. But looking at the betting odds, Alcaraz is considered the favorite even though he hasn’t played in four months! That just seems crazy to me. I’m worried if his wrist can handle long matches. I hope I’m wrong because I’m excited to have him back.”
Alcaraz has a great record at the US Open, having won twice (in 2022 and 2025), with 24 wins and only 3 losses, which is an 89.9% win rate. According to Oddschecker, he’s still the favorite for this year’s title at 2/1 odds. Alexander Zverev is next at 15/4, and Novak Djokovic is 8/1 as he aims for his 25th Grand Slam win.