Will Carlos Alcaraz make Cincinnati Open? Defending finalist pictured on vacation days before tournament starts
ATPSaturday, 10 August 2024 at 16:30
Carlos Alcaraz will be cutting it fine to play at the Cincinnati Open with the recent Roland Garros, Wimbledon champion and Olympic silver medalist seen on holiday days before the tournament begins.
Alcaraz famously lost in the final last year to Novak Djokovic despite being ahead in the tie and was seen as throwing it away. But Djokovic himself won't play in Mason, Ohio. He has decided to take a break meaning that he won't play prior to the US Open.
Alcaraz could take the same route with only Jannik Sinner out of the world's top three deciding to play during this time. But Sinner also has not played the Olympic Games.
He was out ill during this time with tonsillitis and so returned this week at the Canadian Open where he sits in the latter stages albeit likely having to play two matches in a day starting with Alejandro Tabilo later on Saturday.
But Alcaraz is seen with his friends and family out on a boat on vacation, a far cry from Cincinnati where he would usually be given that he has an early week start. So if he does play, either the photos are old or he will go to the country straight from holiday likely jet lagged.
Iga Swiatek on the women's side was confirmed by Polish journalists as playing over on the women's side after the Olympic Games. Elena Rybakina also looks likely to return after illness. While Aryna Sabalenka plays in Canada this week. A bit more of a different complexion to the men's side where it looks like a lot of leading lights won't take in a warm-up.
But this is likely due to the complexion of the season which sees the Olympic Games swiftly followed by the US Open hard court swing. This after also Wimbledon and Roland Garros prior meaning that for many, it is very much a part of the season with no break. Alcaraz already snubbed Canada this week which was a surprise given he usually plays it albeit losing to Tommy Paul more often than not.
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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