Carlos Alcaraz reports fit in time for the US Open

Comeback after injury break

In Cincinnati, Alcaraz had still complained of discomfort and, as a precaution, opted not to play the full tournament week. The medical team of the Spanish Tennis Federation had then closely monitored the young star and prescribed him a tailored workload management plan. Now Alcaraz said at a press conference in Flushing Meadows that he feels "frisch und bereit" (fresh and ready) to attack again at full throttle. His coach emphasized that preparation had gone according to plan and that the focus now lies on the first matches.

At the US Open, Alcaraz is one of the top favorites. Jannik Sinner sits atop the seedings list, but bookmakers see Alcaraz only just behind the world number one. A direct duel between the two exceptional players could take place at the earliest in the semifinals, if both successfully navigate their quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Last year, their meeting was already the highlight of the tournament's second week.

Favorites and possible duels

Alcaraz's opening match is scheduled against a qualifier, giving him the chance to ease into the tournament. Should he clear his early assignments, a first clash with a seeded player would await in round two or three. The Spanish Tennis Federation sees the 22-year-old as the great hope for a successful era following the generation of Rafael Nadal. On the women's side, Spain is also hoping for strong results, for instance through Paula Badosa, who is also in the main draw.

Debate over prize money

Alongside the sporting action, the tennis world is currently also engaged in a discussion about prize money in the qualifying rounds of the US Open. The tournament organizers announced an adjustment on Thursday evening that, according to the organizers, is intended to improve support for players outside the top 100. "Das betrifft unter anderen das ÖTV-Frauen-Trio Lilli Tagger, Anastasia Potapova und Sinja Kraus," explained a spokesperson for the Austrian Tennis Federation. This brings the financial situation beyond the stars more sharply into focus.

Alcaraz himself stressed that the debate over prize money is something he is following closely. "Es geht nicht nur um uns an der Spitze, sondern auch um all die Spieler, die Woche für Woche auf der Tour kämpfen," said the Spaniard at a press conference in Flushing Meadows. In doing so, he is publicly taking a stance and giving his backing to the organizers, who are working toward a fair distribution of funds.

Verbatim: Das betrifft unter anderen das ÖTV-Frauen-Trio Lilli Tagger, Anastasia Potapova und Sinja Kraus.

Conditions in Flushing Meadows

The playing conditions in New York are not entirely unfamiliar to Alcaraz: just last year he reached the semifinals, where he lost to Jannik Sinner. Once again, he expects tough matches on the hard court, which becomes especially fast due to the high humidity in Queens. His playing style, based on explosive footwork and powerful groundstrokes, is well suited to such conditions. Nevertheless, his coach warns against underestimating the first match, as rhythm after the break still needs to be rediscovered.

Tennis experts view Alcaraz as well positioned. "Er ist hungrig und will zeigen, dass er trotz der kurzen Pause der gefährlichste Herausforderer von Sinner ist," said a former pro coach from Barcelona. Statistically, too, plenty speaks for the Spaniard: in head-to-head clashes with Sinner, he leads 6:4, and on hard court the record is nearly even. At the US Open, he wants to claim his second title in Flushing Meadows and further expand his collection of Grand Slam titles.

Verbatim: Das betrifft unter anderen das ÖTV-Frauen-Trio Lilli Tagger, Anastasia Potapova und Sinja Kraus.

The main draw was already completed on Thursday evening, with the top players' positions set. Alcaraz is seeded in the same half of the draw as Sinner, meaning a possible final between the two once again lies within the realm of possibility. Until then, however, there is a long road ahead, as the US Open field is considered one of the strongest of the entire season.