Alcaraz believes ‘impossible’ schedule raising injury threat

Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning US Open champion, revealed on Wednesday that he plans to take fewer tournaments in the future, citing an "impossible" tennis schedule as the reason for a growing number of injuries in the sport. The Spaniard had just returned from a four-month layoff due to a wrist injury when he faced off against Portugal's Jaime Faria at the US Open.

Alcaraz demonstrated his resilience, overcoming a sluggish opening set to defeat Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 in 2 hours and 40 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. After the match, Alcaraz spoke candidly about his decision to take breaks from the grueling tournament circuit. "Obviously, I don't want to have this break because of an injury," he admitted.

"But in the future, I'm going to take some breaks, some long breaks. Maybe not four months, but one month, two months, missing some tournaments, because it's impossible to play them all."

Alcaraz's injury woes have sparked concerns among tennis fans and experts alike, as the sport increasingly adds more high-profile tournaments, pushing players to compete at an unprecedented pace. The seven-time Grand Slam champion suggested that the tennis authorities must address this issue, as injuries and fatigue continue to plague the sport's top players. Alcaraz emphasized the need for change, stating, "If they don't do anything about it, we are going to see even more in the future."