"He might just be coming because he just loves playing": Carlos Alcaraz unlikely to be returning to challenge for US Open glory admits Johanna Konta

The US Open draw is confirmed this evening and the men's draw as ever with the absence of a certain Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz returning albeit only just means that it throws up more questions than answers going into the next few weeks. Johanna Konta ran her rule over the field for TNT Sports.

She believes that Alcaraz in theory might only be playing in order to just play as opposed to competing at his best as of yet which could make it even more wide open in theory as then Alcaraz who will be favourite might not live up to that billing. But in Konta's view, it doesn't matter if he is back to his best yet or not.

”The one thing about Alcaraz is I feel like he plays uninhibited,” said Konta. ”And what I mean by that is this is a guy who is on track to be challenging the greats when it comes to numbers, especially at his young age and where he is in his career so far.

"And yet when he's on court, he plays with so much joy; so much, from the outside, what looks like freedom. So I feel like I genuinely think he might be coming because he just loves playing and he wants to play.

”And what does it matter? Does it matter if he doesn't bring his best level yet? He's got a really good perspective of where he is in his career in terms of the time he has. I don't think he feels constrained by hitting markers, by showing a certain level. I feel like he's just happy and hungry to be back. And so he just wants to play because he's ready.”

Asked also about a certain Novak Djokovic and a 25th Grand Slam title, Konta believes it is more factors that have to go his way in order for it to happen. But the mission is very much not to ever count him out of the running.

”Yes but I do think there's a lot of other things that would probably have to happen that are not under his control for it to happen,” Konta said. "No Sinner is one box ticked. Alcaraz, question mark, another box ticked. I do think there's certain things that need to fall into place for the opportunity to really present himself where you're like, ‘OK, this really could happen.’

”But in saying that, I read an article where he was saying that as long as he feels competitive and he believes that he can be one of the best players in the world, why not?

"Why not stay in the mix? Because I do think with Novak, it's not the old era of when he entered a tournament and it was just like he's already won half the matches before stepping on the court, right? Players believe now that they can beat him. Players know that there's much more of a chance than a few years ago where, I mean, why bother even tying your shoelaces?

"It was almost comedy, which also makes Djokovic's job that much harder and he works that much harder as he progresses through the rounds. Conditions will be interesting in New York when it comes to him as well. Obviously, Cincinnati is incredibly humid, incredibly hot. New York is not too different.”

Also she ran her rule over Arthur Fils and believes an American man could in theory have a good run and she sees an American man actually making the final. ”Fils has established his level so quickly,” said Konta. "But obviously, all the injuries, all the setbacks. And the fact that he hasn't been around the Grand Slam level. Wimbledon this year was the first Grand Slam in a while. He's barely played a Grand Slam match. So we just don't know where he is when it comes to that best-of-five level, but he is coming into the Grand Slam in good form right now.”

”The American men come alive during the US swing," said Konta. "There’s a couple here or there that you can see do well throughout the season in pockets. But for me, when they then get home onto home surface, they fully come alive.A nd then you feel like a whole throng of them just really push through. So I kind of think there will be an American man in the final.”