Carlos Alcaraz Told There’s No Need for Him to Rush His Comeback Because ‘His Bank Account Is Pretty Full’

Tennis broadcaster Robbie Koenig thinks that if Carlos Alcaraz really hasn’t recovered completely, then there’s no reason for him to play at the Cincinnati Masters, the main draw of which starts on August 13. Alcaraz picked up a wrist injury during the first round of the Barcelona Open and has since been sidelined, also skipping the French Open and Wimbledon.

Alcaraz recently pulled out of the Canadian Open, but his name is on the entry list for the Cincinnati Masters. The Spaniard last year received a walkover from defending champion Jannik Sinner.

Koenig, during The Inside-In Tennis Podcast, said Alcaraz should learn from Juan Martin del Potro and Dominic Thiem‘s careers that were derailed by wrist injuries, and take as much time as needed to recover fully from the wrist injury. Koenig also highlighted that Alcaraz has earned so much in his short career that he can skip tournaments without worrying about money.

I think he would have learned from a lot of players that have come before him, right? The likes of del Potro, Thiem. There’s been a lot of players that have had wrist problems that have turned out to be hugely problematic long term.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion has competed in just six tournaments this year. He kicked off his campaign this season at the Australian Open, which he won by defeating Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz next played in Doha and beat Arthur Fils in the final.

So I think there’s no need for him to rush back. No need for him to rush back. He’s a long runway ahead of him. And his bank account is pretty full.

Robbie Koenig added

After Doha, Alcaraz lost both the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open before reaching the final. But on the clay swing, he competed in Monte Carlo as the defending champion only to lose to Jannik Sinner. This defeat saw him lose his No.1 ranking as well.

But Alcaraz dropped to No.3 after Alexander Zverev reached the final of Wimbledon. Sascha lost in four sets to defending champion Sinner.

Prakash Amritraj on Carlos Alcaraz’s popularity

Carlos Alcaraz is one of the most, if not the most, popular athletes on the planet. According to former player and Tennis Channel analyst Prakash Amritraj, Alcaraz’s performance greatly influences the ticket sales of events. During his appearance on the Nothing Major podcast, Amritraj talked about what makes the Murcia native a magnetic personality on the tour.

He is one of those absolutely transcendent stars. Let’s put this into perspective. Look at the World Cup, the biggest event there is. We were at Wimbledon, the whole city froze when England played. It has been like that worldwide, and Carlos lifted the trophy in the final. That is truly insane.

Alcaraz’s arch-rival Jannik Sinner has time and again said tennis needs the 23-year-old. The tennis world, without any doubt, has always waited for a clash between the two Grand Slam champions. But so far this season, they have not met in a Major final.

You know, he mingles with all those stars, increasing Carlos’ appeal, and he takes advantage of that. I mean, when he’s on the court and flashes that dazzling smile, the whole world goes crazy. It’s madness.

Prakash Amritraj added

If Alcaraz plays at the US Open, then he will be aiming to defend his title. It was Sinner whom he defeated last year to win his second title in the tournament. The first time he won in New York was in 2022 (also the first time he lifted a Grand Slam title).

Also read: Greg Rusedski Blames Two-Week Masters 1000 Format for Jannik Sinner’s Canadian Open Withdrawal: “He Doesn’t Want to Burn Out Before US Open”