"When you're away from it for a long time, it's complicated": Patrick Mouratoglou left worried for Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz ahead of US Open
ATPWednesday, 19 August 2026 at 06:30
As the US Open approaches, the thought process behind Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and how they will do will become more and more of a feature with both being injury doubts to even play at all at Flushing Meadows.
The World's top two players are still uncertain for the last Grand Slam of the year and missed both Montreal and Cincinnati. Sinner perhaps looked most likely to play given that he decided it seemed to just take a break after Wimbledon, but it has been since confirmed that he has since gone for scans with him withdrawing from the ATP 1000 tournament in Cincinnati with a knee problem.
“My right knee has been bothering me, and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet,” said Sinner confirming he would not play in Cincinnati.
And given that he would need to fly to New York and spend a week getting himself ready, the time is ticking. While Alcaraz has been sidelined since April due to a right wrist injury, he seemed likely to return in Cincinnati and it has yet to be confirmed where he will make his comeback.
Major worries for leading duo
This has stoked the worry in Patrick Mouratoglou who believes it is a worry that neither seem to be ready. That would of course mean enter stage left Alexander Zverev ala French Open and that him, Felix Auger-Aliassime and others would fight for the title creating a bit of a free for all. But also shows the discrepancy between Sinner, Alcaraz and the rest and the real issue when they don't decide to play.
"Am I worried about Alcaraz and Sinner for this US Open? Yes, I am. I am worried about Alcaraz. It's such a long period without a match. Does he have a chance? He always will because he and Jannik have so much margin. But he hasn't played a single match for so long. He'll have so many aches and pains after his first match. We don't know how his body will react. Besides the physical aspect, competition is competition.
"When you're away from it for a long time, it's complicated. Am I worried about Jannik? Yes and no. I'm not saying, 'Wow, he's going to come to the US Open without having played a match.' He did that at Wimbledon and he won. Again, he has so much margin. But he had his knee problem. There's a lot of pressure in a Grand Slam. He'll have to be very efficient and not spend too much time on the court.
"He'll have to crush the opponent. So yes, there are reasons to worry about them. The two will play only if there's no risk of aggravating the injury, if they feel physically ready, and depending on their level of tennis. If these three conditions are met, they'll play; otherwise, they probably won't.'
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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