(Reuters) – Carlos Alcaraz said he will be “at 100%” for the U.S. Open despite stopping his training in New York on Saturday as a precaution after twisting his ankle.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz has dealt with a number of injuries in recent times, including an ankle injury that forced him to withdraw in the first round of the Rio Open earlier this year.
Alcaraz’s injury worries returned on Saturday, leading him to suspend his training session with Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. However, the Spaniard said he never feared for his participation in tournament.
“I just stopped my practice for precaution. I didn’t feel comfortable enough to keep practising just in case if everything is going to be worse,” Alcaraz told a news conference.
“A few hours later, I feel good, tomorrow I will try to be practising again without thinking about it.
“I wasn’t worried at all for my U.S. Open participation. Obviously I was angry because I don’t want to stop the practice, to respect Cerundolo, as well.
“Tomorrow or in two days I’m going to be my at 100%, for sure. It’s about time.”
The 21-year-old begins his tournament at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday against Australian Li Tu as he chases a second U.S. Open title after winning in 2022.
Alcaraz said he hoped to approach important matches with a better mentality following his disappointment at losing to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Olympics earlier this month.
“It was a difficult moment for me, losing the gold medal in a really close match that I had opportunities,” he said.
“But in front of me I had a really good player and he deserved it. So days after the Olympics I realize that I won the silver medal, a great achievement that I have to be proud of.
“I try to keep going and learn about this. The next important matches of my career I will deal in a different way or a better way than I did in Olympics.”
Alcaraz, who last week lost to Gael Monfils in the Cincinnati Open Round of 32, said he is not worried about having played few hard-court matches ahead of the year’s final Grand Slam.
“Heading into Roland Garros, I hadn’t played too many matches on clay, and it was a pretty good result. In Wimbledon, same thing,” added the Spaniard who has won the last two majors.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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