Greg Rusedski has suggested that Carlos Alcaraz’s wrist problem may have been the result of overloading his schedule, and he said exhibition appearances did not help.

Alcaraz was riding high after becoming the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam when he won the Australian Open at 22. For a time, he appeared to be pulling clear of the rest of the ATP Tour, including Jannik Sinner. But Sinner responded by winning the Sunshine Double and then beating Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo Masters final.

A wrist injury then emerged in mid-April and kept Alcaraz out for more than four months. The 23-year-old has returned strongly at the US Open, yet he has already indicated that he wants to build more rest into his future planning.

Alcaraz told reporters this week, “ In the future, I’m going to take some breaks. Maybe not four months, but one month, two months, missing some tournaments, because it’s impossible to play them all.”

Rusedski, a former US Open finalist, believes the issue is about balance and said he thinks Alcaraz and his former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero may have disagreed over the value of exhibition events. On Off Court, he said, “Well, I think a certain coach by the name of Juan Carlos Ferrero was talking about stop chasing the money at the exhibitions, let’s get a proper schedule, let’s figure out how we’re going to work this financially between the two of us, and he’s finally figured it out.

“Why did he [Alcaraz] get injured? He overplayed. It’s as simple as that. You cannot play every exhibition during the off season, expect to be fit and not break down. It’s humanly not possible, no matter how great you are.”

Ferrero had previously defended Alcaraz’s decision to play exhibitions ahead of his match against Frances Tiafoe in Puerto Rico in February 2025, saying, “They allow you to relax a little, they are played in a different way. But there’s a certain level of intensity and demand. Playing this type of match with a smile, putting on a show for the fans, it always helps to relax a bit.”

Rusedski also noted that Alcaraz played the second-most matches behind Alexander Zverev in 2025, while also appearing in the ‘Netflix Slam’ with Rafael Nadal in 2024, the Six Kings Slam in the past two years, and with Joao Fonseca in Miami in 2025.

He concluded that Alcaraz will need to manage his body more carefully going forward and accept that every exhibition cannot be part of the calendar.

Carlos Alcaraz has moved through the opening stages of the US Open with the kind of control that has made him the player to beat.

After not competing since April, the Spaniard has returned to action in New York and taken care of Roman Safiullin, Jaime Faria, and Wu Yibing to reach the fourth round. He has lost only one set across those three matches, and even with a serve that still appears below his best, he has looked composed, sharp, and increasingly convincing.

His next assignment is against Tommy Paul on Sunday, 6th September, with the order of play still to be confirmed. Even so, the match is expected to be on Arthur Ashe Stadium. It is shaping up as his most demanding test so far, and the level of opposition does not get lighter from there, with Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe among the names waiting in the next phase of the event.

For all that, the opening week has largely unfolded in Alcaraz’s favor. While he has advanced with relative ease, several of his rivals have already exited. Novak Djokovic, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, and Arthur Fils were all beaten in the first week, while Alexander Zverev, the top seed, has been pushed to five sets in both of his opening matches against Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys, with both contests stretching into the early hours.

There had even been doubt in some quarters about whether Alcaraz would take part in singles at all, despite his mixed doubles debut alongside Serena Williams. Marion Bartoli addressed that speculation on Sky Sports Tennis after that defeat, saying: “When he played the mixed doubles with Serena, and they lost the second match, the rumours going around with different coaches was that he was not going to take to the court in singles,” said the Frenchwoman.

She added: “That was the rumour going into the players’ area. But he is through the first week and breezing through it. He has done the job perfectly. He has been on point with the mentality as well. He was fist-pumping a lot, having a lot of energy. You can see it is a joy to be out there.”

Carlos Alcaraz and Tommy Paul will meet in a compelling fourth-round contest at this year’s US Open.

Alcaraz has moved through the draw with minimal trouble, despite his recent return from a knee injury. The Spaniard has already accounted for Roman Safiullin, Jaume Faria, and Wu Yibing to reach the last 16.

Paul has taken a far more demanding route. The American has come through three hard-fought matches against Coleman Wong, Dino Prizmic, and Alexander Bublik, with the meeting against Bublik going the distance in five sets.

That run has left Paul convinced he can offer Alcaraz a serious examination at his home major. After his latest win, he said: “It’s crazy to be playing against Carlos again. I’d say he’s the player I’ve faced the most times on the entire tour. We’ve had some great battles, but he’s also given me a few beatings.

“Both he and Sinner are the dominant players and the ultimate test for everyone else. I’m going to give it my all; I want to play my best tennis because I know I’ll need it to beat him. I refuse to step onto the court thinking I can’t beat any opponent.

“I always go out there with the mindset that I have what it takes to win. I expect we’ll play in Arthur Ashe Stadium, and maybe it will be a night session. I know people love him in New York, but I hope they’ll cheer me on.”

The pair have met eight times on the ATP Tour, with Alcaraz winning the last five. Paul has two victories in the rivalry, both at the Canadian Open in 2022 and 2023, while Alcaraz has also beaten him in Miami and Cincinnati.

Their meetings have already covered the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and Roland Garros, all of them won by Alcaraz. Their most recent match came at the 2026 Australian Open, where Alcaraz won in the round of 16 before going on to claim the title.

The US Open clash is scheduled for Sunday, 6th September, with the order of play still to be confirmed. Arthur Ashe Stadium is the most likely setting.