Tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou expressed optimism on Saturday, July 4, 2026, regarding Carlos Alcaraz's recovery from a wrist injury, projecting that the Spanish player will resume normal baseline training within two weeks.
According to a report by TennisTemple, the former world number one recently published a video on social media highlighting his physical and technical progress, sparking discussions about his potential return ahead of the upcoming US Open.
Mouratoglou evaluated the situation and addressed whether the athlete remains unready to compete in the final Grand Slam tournament of the year.
"Is he still far from being able to defend his title at the US Open?" said Mouratoglou.
The veteran coach explained that while recovery takes time, Alcaraz possesses a strong physical foundation because he can still run and work on his conditioning.
"It's fantastic to see Carlos back on a tennis court, as a right-hander. I think people don't realize how long the recovery process is after an injury.
What's positive for him is that he can still use his legs, run, and do a lot of physical work," Mouratoglou said.
"Now, is he still far from being able to defend his title at the US Open? Yes, certainly, he's still quite far away.
Can he get there? Yes, I think it's possible.
Because he's now at a stage where things will speed up: from now on, he should progress every day."
Mouratoglou further outlined the expected milestones for the reigning champion's return to regular groundstrokes.
"In two weeks, he will be able to hit normally from the baseline," he said.
He noted that serving would be delayed due to wrist strain, emphasizing that Alcaraz needs physical conditioning rather than any adjustments to his playing style.
"My prediction, even though I'm not a doctor, I have a lot of experience in this area, is that in two weeks, he will be able to hit normally from the baseline.
I think he will start serving a bit later, because the serve is the most demanding shot for the wrist: it needs to be perfectly solid," Mouratoglou said.
"In my opinion, he mainly needs to develop a physique capable of handling the intensity of his forehand, rather than changing his technique or completely modifying his game.
At this stage of his career, I would never, ever, ever ask him to change his technique."
