One of the biggest stories of this US Open is Carlos Alcaraz’s return after a nearly four-month-long injury layoff. After his mixed doubles run with Serena Williams ended in a close quarterfinal loss, the Spaniard will now shift all his focus to the singles draw. While there are doubts about the defending champion’s form, renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou has also weighed in on his chances at the US Open.
Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open Title Hopes Face Key Test, Patrick Mouratoglou Explains
The 23-year-old had a strong start to 2026, winning the Australian Open and the Qatar Open. However, after his second-round win at the Barcelona Open, he suffered a right wrist inflammation and was forced to withdraw. The injury also kept him out of many tournaments, including the Madrid Open, Italian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon.
Now, as he is set to play a singles match since April, Williams’ former coach Mouratoglou has weighed in on Alcaraz’s US Open title chances, focusing less on the seven-time Grand Slam winner’s explosive playing style and more on how he handles the difficult moments in his matches.
“Is he ready to win the US Open?” Mouratoglou asked, pointing to the physical and mental demands of best-of-five-set tennis. “99% of players cannot play consistently at the very high level throughout a five-set match. The question that I will ask myself watching Carlos Alcaraz’s first round is how low is his low level? Because his high will always be crazy high.”
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Back on court at the final Grand Slam of the year, Alcaraz has already competed in mixed doubles with the 23-time Grand Slam winner. The pair won their opening match 5-3, 4-1 against Great Britain’s Lloyd Glasspool and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe. However, their run ended in the quarterfinals, as Italy’s Flavio Cobolli and Swiss partner Belinda Bencic won 5-4 (7-4), 4-1 to reach Wednesday’s semifinals.
“I think everyone could see I was really nervous; I double-faulted on the first point,” Alcaraz said after their opening win. “I was out for almost five months, and I almost forgot how it feels stepping out on the court once again. It [took] just a couple of games [to settle] and she made it very easy for me to enjoy it and try to go for it.”
The main draw at the US Open will begin on Sunday, August 30. The draw ceremony will take place on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET.
