Carlos Alcaraz has announced that he feels "great" as he gears up for his first US Open appearance since recovering from a right‑wrist injury sustained in April. The 23‑year‑old Spaniard, a seven‑time Grand Slam champion, has long been known for delivering his best tennis on the sport's biggest stages, and despite the uncertainty surrounding his comeback, his reputation remains intact.

Alcaraz will open his title defence against Russia’s Roman Safiullin after a brief warm‑up in the mixed‑doubles draw alongside Serena Williams. "I’m feeling very good, and I think that injury helped me a lot to understand that right now, everything is in my head.

I have to trust my team, trust the people who tell me that everything is going to be fine," the young champion said in a recent interview. "So I just have to go 100 per cent.

Right now, with the training I've done so far, everything has gone well. I'm trying to get away from that fear and play normally." The wrist problem forced Alcariz out of competition for several months, prompting speculation that he might need to alter his technique to avoid a recurrence. A comparable case is Britain’s Jack Draper, who attempted to modify his serve in an effort to protect his shoulder but ultimately remained sidelined. Alcaraz, however, insists that his game plan remains unchanged.

"I haven’t changed anything. I’ve been doing the same things. I haven’t changed anything technically, in terms of my movements or the way I’m going to play," he explained.

"I just wanted to feel that I was going to be myself. I knew that coming here to the US Open, being a best‑of‑five‑set tournament and being my first tournament after such a long time, was going to be a huge challenge." He acknowledged that the timing of his return was far from ideal, but he and his support staff are confident that he is ready to compete at the highest level.

"Probably, in terms of preparation, it wasn’t the ideal time. But my team and I believe that I’m ready. It wasn’t an easy decision. I did everything I needed to do to be ready.

I tried to do everything perfectly, both on and off the court, to feel prepared. We saw that everything was fine, that everything was responding properly, and we believed it was the right time to come back," Alcaraz said. The Spaniard also commented on the puzzling absence of fellow world‑No.

1 Jannik Sinner, who has been out with an injury for several months. "It’s a weird situation, to be honest. I just wish him all the best… a great recovery and to see him back on court at his best," Alcaraz added. Even while away from the ATP circuit, Alcaraz remained in the public eye.

He was invited to carry the World Cup trophy onto the pitch at New York’s MetLife Stadium as Spain celebrated a dramatic victory over Argentina. "For me it was a lifetime experience, seeing Spain winning the World Cup," he recalled.

"Louis Vuitton had the trunks that were carrying the trophy, so they told me that I could do it. It was a great experience, holding the trophy in the ceremony and handing it over on the field." Looking ahead, the US Open will be broadcast live on Sky Sports starting August 30, with streaming options available via NOW and the Sky Sports app. Fans can also catch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports. Alcaraz’s return adds a compelling narrative to the tournament, and his insistence that he simply needs competitive action suggests he is eager to test his form against the world’s best.

Whether his wrist holds up under the rigors of five‑set matches remains to be seen, but his confidence and determination signal that he is prepared to fight for another Grand Slam crown.