Watch-How Carlos Alcaraz rolls his ankle in practice in US Open crisis days before tournament begins
Carlos Alcaraz faces a US Open crisis just days before the tournament begins on Monday, August 26. The Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion injured his ankle during practice. While training against Francisco Cerundolo, Alcaraz had to halt the session abruptly.
He consulted with his team and left to likely evaluate his next steps. The video below captures the moment he rolled his ankle.
This injury is the last thing Alcaraz needs before the US Open, following a series of setbacks. After a disappointing loss in the gold medal match at the Olympic Games, where he broke down in tears against Novak Djokovic, he hoped to regain his form. However, his comeback in Cincinnati, which followed a positive break with friends, saw his fortunes decline once more.
Alcaraz’s recent performance against Gael Monfils, which he called the worst of his career, included an uncharacteristic display of frustration as he smashed his racquet on the court. Now, with an injury complicating his preparations, he faces a challenging path leading into the US Open. The third seed is set to compete against Li Tu on Tuesday (Wednesday UK time) at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The key question is whether the injury is a false alarm or a serious concern, as he races against time to regain fitness before the tournament.
Alcaraz is not alone in facing pre-tournament issues; Novak Djokovic also experienced discomfort and missed a practice session with Holger Rune, although he was later seen practicing on Arthur Ashe.
Additionally, Jannik Sinner is contending with a doping scandal and hip problems. With these uncertainties, the men’s draw at the US Open looks less promising than expected. All eyes are on Alcaraz to determine the full extent of his situation.
Alcaraz rolls his ankle in practice.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 24, 2024
Three days before his start at the US Open.
Terrible to see. pic.twitter.com/29Nt9xfsLM
Check Why Novak Djokovic’s US Open in doubt? 24-time Grand Slam champion forced to cut short training session with Holger Rune
With his competitors facing challenges, Novak Djokovic is also experiencing uncertainty before the 2024 US Open. Just days before the tournament, he encountered an injury concern, ending his training session with Holger Rune prematurely.
Reports suggest that Djokovic felt discomfort during practice at Flushing Meadows, and despite receiving treatment, he could not continue.
Fans Week drew a large crowd, with thousands flocking to Arthur Ashe Stadium to catch a glimpse of the legendary Serbian, Novak Djokovic, as he faced off against Holger Rune. However, after just 30 minutes on the court, Djokovic’s session was cut short, leaving fans with only photos and autographs, resulting in some disappointment among the attendees.
There was some confusion as Djokovic’s team remained on court, with his bags still present, raising questions about his whereabouts. Earlier in the afternoon, he was reportedly training on an outside court with Holger Rune. According to TV2, Djokovic picked up the issue during that session, and after about 30 minutes, it was confirmed that he wouldn’t continue.
The training took place between noon and 1 pm local time in New York. Whether this will affect his performance in the rest of the tournament remains uncertain. Djokovic has a history of wrist issues, so if that’s the problem, it might not be too concerning. However, he has also been dealing with knee problems recently, including undergoing surgery. Although he was seen without his knee brace in the lead-up to the tournament, he put it back on for practice during the Stars of the Open event, where he trained with Juan Martin del Potro and played alongside John McEnroe against Carlos Alcaraz and Andre Agassi.
Djokovic has a few days to prepare, as he is set to begin his 2024 campaign against Radu Albot on Tuesday. Coming off a gold medal victory in Paris this summer, where he defeated Alcaraz at Roland Garros, Djokovic is poised to face either Jan-Lennard Struff or Laslo Djere if he wins his opening match.
Djokovic was supposed to practice with Rune on Ashe at 1pm.
— The Big Three (@Big3Tennis) August 23, 2024
Rune waited for 15 mins before Djokovic’s team took his bags off the court.
Not sure what is happening. Rune now signing autographs. pic.twitter.com/ufE83yN7Ac
