Carlos Alcaraz successfully navigated his first-round match at the 2025 US Open, but it seems that he's dealing with an injury at the event.
Alcaraz came to New York after winning the title in Cincinnati. He lifted the title after Jannik Sinner retired only 20 minutes into their final match, so it was his rival who seemed to be troubled by health issues heading into the final Grand Slam of the season.
But after the first-round matches, it's now Alcaraz whose health is under the spotlight. The Spaniard easily beat Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, but it was his practice the day after his win that raised questions about the 22-year-old's physical condition.
Alcaraz appeared on the practice court with his right wrist taped, and during the practice, he was heard complaining about the tape, likely demanding to have it adjusted so it isn't too tight.
It's not the first time that the five-time Grand Slam champion has practiced with a taping on his wrist, but it certainly isn't a positive sign. Returning Opelka's huge serves in the first round certainly didn't help him, and he will now take on another tricky player. His second-round opponent will be Mattia Bellucci, who is a talented left-hander.
Alcaraz avoids hinting at any physical issues
During his post-match press conference, Alcaraz didn't hint at any physical struggles. Quite the opposite. The Spaniard mentioned that he feels well on the court, even though it was challenging to play against someone like Opelka.
"Well, it was really difficult to get a good rhythm. Such a tough opponent, big serve, he doesn’t let you go into rallies. It was difficult for me to get a good rhythm and a good feeling from the baseline. I just tried to return well, play as long points as I could, and try to get the good rhythm and feeling. It was a difficult first round, but overall I'm really happy with the way I managed everything."
"Good return, good points from the baseline, good serve. I’ll practice a bit to get more rhythm. The next round will have more rallies, more rhythm. Right now, I'm really happy with the way I'm feeling."
Alcaraz doesn't want to think about the World No. 1 rank chance
At this year's US Open, Alcaraz has a chance to overtake his rival, Jannik Sinner, as the World No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings. In the live rankings, the Spaniard is already ahead of his rival by 60 points, but to be the World No. 1 player after the tournament, he either needs to match the Italian's result or go even further.
However, the World No. 1 spot is not something that Alcaraz is thinking about. During his press conference, he admitted that he wants to avoid having those thoughts, focusing only on his tennis.
"No, I don't think I'm putting pressure on his shoulders to be honest. I'm trying not to think about the run of the number one spot. I just try to go as far as I can in this tournament, play my best tennis and let's see how it's going to be at the end of the tournament. Whoever plays better in this tournament will deserve the number one spot. So, I don't think I'm putting pressure on him."
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