Carlos Alcaraz keeps the rhythm on clay as US Open doubts linger
SportLocation Tennis Desk · 29 Aug 2026
Carlos Alcaraz is back in a clay-court practice setting, working through forehands and recovery steps while reports continue to question his US Open defence after a latest withdrawal. The scene fits a player trying to stay sharp as the build-up to New York remains unsettled.
Carlos Alcaraz is back on a clay court, striking through a forehand-like swing and then shuffling back into position as the rally carries on at the far end of the court.
The setting is a large enclosed stadium with red clay underfoot, sponsor boards around the baseline and a scoreboard above the stands, a familiar environment for a player trying to keep his timing intact during a busy stretch of the season.
That practice rhythm comes against a more uncertain wider picture. Reports from The Guardian and Olympics.com say doubts have grown over Alcaraz's US Open defence after a latest withdrawal, with the latter also reporting that he pulled out of the Cincinnati Open in a bid to return to full fitness for the title defence.
The on-court work here is simple but telling: a controlled swing, a balanced recovery, then a reset for the next ball. It is the sort of session that keeps a player's movement and contact sharp while the bigger tournament questions continue to build around him.
Sources & further reading
The Guardian — Doubts grow over Carlos Alcaraz's US Open defence after latest withdrawal
olympics.com — Jannik Sinner joins Carlos Alcaraz in withdrawing from Cincinnati Open 2026