Carlos Alcaraz Sends Clear Message as Injury Crisis Clouds US Open Campaign

In the end, it was all in a day’s work for Carlos Alcaraz who notched a strong third-round win against Italy’s Luciano Darderi at the 2025 US Open. But things got a bit tense when he had to call for a medical timeout during the second set due to an injury scare. Alcaraz was up 5-4 but looked pretty uneasy after having lost his serve for the first time this tournament. He had to take a break to get his right knee massaged after feeling something off, which had fans and commentators on edge.

But soon after he received treatment, Alcaraz shrugged the earlier nerves off, breaking Darderi’s serve right after the timeout to take the set and eventually win the match in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, 6-0. After the match, Alcaraz was quick to brush off the incident, making it clear that the timeout was just a precaution.

In his post-match interview he said, “I’m feeling good. Just a precaution that I asked for the physio when he broke my serve in the last point. I felt something that wasn’t working good in the knee. After 5, 6 points it was gone. I asked for the physio just to take care about the knee because it was 1 set left, I had to be ready and feeling good physically. Precaution. I’m gonna talk with my team but I’m not worried about it.”

Even though his reassurances might ease some worries for now, this situation brings up bigger questions about the strain his intense season is putting on him and how his body might handle the demands of top-level competition.

Alcaraz has dealt with injury issues before in 2025. Earlier this year, he had to pull out of the Madrid Open because of an adductor problem, which came after he dealt with a right leg issue in the Barcelona Open final. These issues show how he has to juggle peak performance with taking care of his body, especially while chasing that World No.1 ranking.

Carlos Alcaraz has had an impressive year with 57 wins and six titles under his belt. He’s not just in the race for Grand Slam glory; he’s also right on Jannik Sinner’s heels for that world No. 1 ranking. A lingering injury could throw a wrench in those plans, making his physical state a key part of the US Open story. Alcaraz’s recent experiences at Flushing Meadows definitely bring more depth to these worries. He still vividly remembers his surprising second-round exit in the 2024 US Open, and he confessed that it’s stuck with him more than his big win in 2022.

The mental strain, along with the physical challenges of the tournament, highlights the huge pressure on the young star. He’s got a knack for handling both mental and physical hurdles, which will be key as he heads into a fourth-round match against Arthur Rinderknech, someone he’s beaten every time they’ve faced off—3-0 record! As he moves further into the tournament, everyone in the tennis world will be keeping a close eye to see if this precautionary timeout turns out to be just a minor detail or if it becomes a major issue for his 2025 campaign.

Right now, Alcaraz is all about winning, but there’s this quiet worry about injury hanging around as he chases another US Open title. So, what else did the Spaniard have to say after the match?

Carlos Alcaraz was quite surprised about the schedule

Carlos Alcaraz talked about his surprise at having to play so early in the morning during his post-match remarks. He shared how the 11:45 AM local start time against Luciano Darderi was a bit of a challenge for him. He said, “I tried to stay awake, I usually do not play this early. I am not a morning person so it is tough to wake up in the morning.”

Even though the timing was a bit off, he mentioned that he managed to adapt well. He got up early, did his warm-up, and felt ready to go. He talked about how proud he is to keep up the energy and rhythm right from the beginning, saying, “Starting at 11:30 my first goal is to start well with a good energy and rhythm. I played great tennis, good performance so I’m proud of that.”

Aside from the physical and scheduling stuff, Alcaraz previously talked about the mental challenge he faced, especially remembering his surprising second-round exit at the 2024 US Open. He admitted, “If I’m honest, I thought about last year when I stepped on the court. Some bad thoughts. I was nervous about it, thinking, ‘Okay, I don’t want to do the same thing as I did last year’.”

The confession shows that last year’s early loss to Botic van de Zandschulp has stuck in his mind more than his 2022 victory. It’s something that happens often with top athletes—negative experiences can sometimes linger longer than the good ones. So, as he heads into Round 4, we’ll just have to wait and see what the Spaniard brings to the tennis scene next.