Seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander has marked Carlos Alcaraz as the favourite to win the US Open title, but he admitted the men’s singles pool is “very open” for the tournament in New York. Alcaraz has scooped two consecutive Slam titles, but narrowly missed out on Olympic gold to reigning US Open champion Novak Djokovic after beating him at Wimbledon.
Mats Wilander has supported Carlos Alcaraz as the favourite to win the US Open, but indicated the men’s singles will be “very open,” with Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner both in excellent form.
Alcaraz is hoping to win his third consecutive Grand Slam, having won the French Open and Wimbledon crowns earlier this year.
The 21-year-old’s preparations in Cincinnati came to a crashing halt, however, when he was crushed 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-4 by Gael Monfils in the first round of the hard court competition, his first encounter since the emotional Olympic final defeat to Djokovic.
“Carlos Alcaraz, I mean, you have to say that he’s most probably the favourite because he’s already won four grand slam tournaments, two in a row,” Wilander remarked.
“A silver medal at the Olympics is not that horrible. And then, of course, Jannik Sinner, who just came from Cincinnati winning the Australian Open, it’s pretty open. “I think there are most certainly 20 to 30 guys on the men’s side that truly honestly believe in their heart that they could beat any of those big three with Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic. So not only is it in the latter rounds that they have to be careful, but very, very much so in the early stages.”
Wilander said that Alcaraz has “proven a point” with his multi-faceted ability on many sorts of court in recent years.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2024/08/02/4015943-81456508-2560-1440.jpg)
Alcaraz establishing his ability to win on diverse surfaces will be a “relief”, Wildander claimed, but his latest outburst on court may have come as a result of being run ragged by the demanding schedule.
“Well, I think that he is most probably slightly burnt out because of the schedule and because of many matches that he’s played and because he’s already defending his Wimbledon title,” Wilander said.
“He won at Roland-Garros, of course, won the US Open a few years back. So he has proven a point. “And I can only speak from my personal experience, because I won my fourth major, curiously enough, in my 21st year. Carlos Alcaraz has the same situation.”There was a bit of a relief. I showed to myself that I’m able to win on varied surfaces.”
Wilander chastised Alcaraz’s behavior in the defeat against Monfils, but noted the harsh conditions players must deal with on the Cincinnati courts.
“The Cincinnati surface in the tournament is a very difficult place to play tennis,” he explained. “It’s very windy, the courts are very quick, [he’s] obviously very tired, and didn’t win the Olympics. “I hate to see anyone shatter a racquet, because I think that’s the last thing you should do as a tennis player, because they are not free for 99.999% of the population. Tennis racquets are not free. Don’t break them. “But at the same time, he detached himself a little bit from being this absolute 100% flawless athlete at all times, off the court, on the court, on social media, doing charitable work.
“He’s now sort of stepped away from that a little bit. Hold on a second, ‘I’m not absolutely flawless’, and I think it’s a wonderful thing for him in a way, and I think it takes some burden off of him.”
The US Open begins on August 26.
