NEW YORK – When Carlos Alcaraz responds in English about Jannik Sinner ’s positive doping case, he nervously smiles and acknowledges that explaining it in a language that isn’t his native tongue will be a complex task: “I know this is a very difficult moment for him.”
Once given the opportunity to speak in Spanish in front of the media during the lead-up to the 2024 US Open, Alcaraz addressed the issue with greater ease.
“I believe there’s something behind all of this that many people don’t know, including myself. It’s very hard to talk about it. He tested positive, but there must be a reason why they let him keep playing that we’re unaware of. I believe in clean sport,” said the 2022 champion in New York.
“He’s been cleared, so in the end, we’ll have Jannik in the tournament,” he stated, addressing the topic that has dominated the tennis agenda.
Different rules for different players
— Denis Shapovalov (@denis_shapo) August 20, 2024
“Are there different rules for different players on the tour? The suggestions of unequal considerations on professional tennis, mentioned by players like Denis Shapovalov or Nick Kyrgios, are not shared by Alcaraz: ‘I don’t believe in that”.
During his midday practice, Alcaraz raised alarms after twisting his right ankle. He had to cut the session short with Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo as a precaution.
‘The ankle is great; it never crossed my mind that I would miss the tournament. I stopped as a precaution. I wasn’t comfortable continuing the practice, and it was also better to stop in respect to Francisco,’ he said.
Just a few hours later, the Spaniard appeared at Arthur Ashe Stadium to participate in the USTA’s traditional Kids Day activities. On the blue court, he showed his ankle was in good shape, playing football-tennis with Lorenzo Musetti and kicking giant tennis balls into a goal on the other side of the court.
As he confirmed, this Sunday he will practice at 100% capacity in preparation for his debut this Tuesday against Australian Li Tu.
