Tennis’s injury discussion has sharpened in 2026, with the ATP Tour losing several leading names and major events feeling the effect. Carlos Alcaraz’s five-month absence has already underscored the strain on the sport, and now Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal from the US Open because of a knee injury has added another major setback.

Holger Rune, Arthur Fils and Jack Draper have also dealt with significant injuries over the past year, reinforcing the sense that the problem has spread through the tour. While the packed calendar is often cited as the main culprit, Patrick Mouratoglou says the issue runs deeper than scheduling alone.

Speaking on Instagram, the former coach of Serena Williams said: “You know the reason, the calendar? I don’t think so. I have a completely different explanation. Since the early 2000s, the governing bodies have decided to slow down the surfaces and homogenise them.

“Some surfaces that used to be very fast are not fast anymore. “Now, most of the players play fully from the baseline, hitting the ball extremely hard with a very high intensity. Look at the injuries that are listed. It’s only upper body injuries.

“We’re not talking about the movement. One of the explanations is the fact that, you know, all the players have to hit the ball way harder than before. The second explanation is the balls. First, from one tournament to the other, it’s a different ball.

“Some are lighter. Some are heavier. It’s constant adaptation for your upper body, and constant different stress on the joints of the upper body. A lot of players have complained that the balls are reacting differently. They get old extremely fast.

“So I think that it’s important that the governing bodies at this point, knowing now that there is a huge increase in injuries from the upper body, work to find the explanation of this phenomenon and then find solutions so we go back to a percentage of injury that is acceptable.”

Mouratoglou is not alone in raising the issue. Earlier this year, Emma Raducanu said: “I do think the balls are a big challenge for all of us. The way that they deteriorate is really challenging.

“I think it gets very fluffy. You see a lot of wrist, elbow, shoulder injuries happening now. And it is hard because the dynamic of the points can be different from when they’re new to when they’re old.”

Daniil Medvedev has also been a persistent critic. “I’m crying because it disadvantages me,” he said earlier this year at the Rotterdam Open. “But if you take six balls out of the new balls out of the can, if you look closely and you bounce them, there are going to be six different balls. I don’t think that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

With top players repeatedly voicing concern, pressure is building for tennis to address one of the sport’s most persistent complaints.

Stan Wawrinka will get one last chance to play the US Open after a late change of plan transformed what had looked like a closed chapter in his Grand Slam career.

The Swiss former champion is due to end his playing career after the ATP 500 event in Basel in October, but he will now first make a final appearance at Flushing Meadows. Wawrinka, who won the US Open in 2016 to complete his third major title, had also lifted the 2015 French Open and the 2014 Australian Open.

At the time of the entry cutoff for the 2026 US Open, the 41-year-old was not ranked high enough for direct acceptance and needed a wildcard. He was initially left out, and that decision drew strong criticism from tennis fans. That situation has since changed after Wawrinka received a wildcard that had been allocated to American Patrick Kypson, who has now withdrawn with an injury.

The US Open announced the update on social media, saying: “Three-time Grand Slam and 2016 US Open men’s singles champion Stan Wawrinka will receive a singles main draw wild card into the 2026 US Open.

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“Patrick Kypson, previously awarded a main draw wild card, withdrew with an injury.”

Wawrinka then addressed the news in a short statement, confirming how much the opportunity means as he prepares for one final run in New York.

“I’m incredibly excited to accept the wild card for the 2026 US Open and look forward to competing in front of the fans in New York once again,” said the former world No 3.

The announcement followed an emotional Instagram post from the day before, when Wawrinka reflected on his history with the tournament.

“When I first arrived in New York from a small farming village in Switzerland, everything felt too big. The city. The noise. The energy. The crowds. The lights,” Wawrinka wrote.

“But year after year New York slowly became one of my favourite places in the world. This city challenged me. It pushed me. It brought something out of me that few places ever could.

“I experienced some of the strongest emotions of my career here. The battles, the late nights, the incredible atmosphere, the love from the crowd…memories that will stay with me forever.

“Winning the US Open, in the city that never sleeps, will forever be one of the greatest moments of my life.

“Thank you, New York. Thank you, @usopen. Thank you to every single fan who supported me, pushed me, believed in me and shared all these emotions with me over the years.

“Forever grateful. Forever New York.”

Carlos Alcaraz’s return to competition at the US Open came after a five-month absence, and his first matches back were always likely to draw attention. The Spaniard teamed up with Serena Williams in mixed doubles, where they opened with a win over Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe before falling to Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic.

That appearance has sparked debate over why the world No 2 chose to play doubles after such a long spell away from competitive tennis. Some critics have gone further, suggesting he may even pull out of the US Open main draw after the doubles event and that the mixed doubles outing was mainly for sponsors.

Konta, however, sees the situation very differently. Speaking to Eurosport, Konta said: “To be fair, I think that nowadays drama is an important part of a player’s personal brand. I think generating hype, creating interest, is part of building an image. So I don’t see anything wrong with analysing it from that perspective.

“And if in the end he only plays the mixed doubles and still creates all this hype, that’s perfectly fine by me. “What’s happening with Alcaraz is that I get the feeling he plays without inhibitions.

“And by that I mean we’re talking about a player who’s on his way to challenging the greats in terms of numbers and achievements, especially considering his age and where he is in his career.

“However, when he’s on the court, he plays with so much joy and, from an outsider’s perspective, with an enormous sense of freedom. That’s why I sincerely believe he may have come simply because he loves to play and wants to play. So what?

“Does it really matter if he can’t yet show his best form? Does it really matter? I think he has a very healthy perspective on where he is in his career and how much time he has left.

“I don’t get the sense that he feels pressured to reach certain milestones or to prove a certain level. Honestly, I think he’s simply happy and eager to get back. And that’s why he wants to play: because he feels ready. And why not? That’s how I see it.

“And every time I’ve seen him on the court, he conveys exactly that to me: someone who plays without any constraints. I think that fits perfectly with his personality and the image we’ve seen of him. His decision to play seems consistent with who he is.”

Alcaraz did look different alongside Williams, which is hardly surprising given how much of the season he has missed. His serve appeared slower, and at times Williams seemed to carry more of the load.

Even so, the seven-time Grand Slam champion still has four days to get ready for the US Open main draw, and there has been no indication yet that he plans to withdraw.