30/08/2026

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SPORTS 12

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Uncertainty over comeback

CARLOS ALCARAZ said yesterday he feels at “100 percent” ahead of his defense of the US Open, but acknowledged feeling anx ious after a four-month layoff due to a wrist injury. The Spaniard has drawn confidence from grueling practice sessions ahead of the Grand Slam, he told reporters at a pre tournament media day. “I need to come here to practice with these guys to feel the competition once again, and this is really testing,” he said. “I’m feeling great and … that helped me a lot to know right now that it’s all in my head,” he said. Alcaraz, 23, the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam after triumphing in Australia in January, hasn’t played singles since April 16, withdrawing from the Barcelona Open with a right wrist injury and subsequently skipping both the French Noskova takes low-key approach in Queens LINDA NOSKOVA arrives at the US Open under a brighter spotlight after capturing her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, yet she said her success at the All England Club has not given her any extra confidence heading into the tournament. “No, for me, I always come to a tournament with a completely new kind of mental state, I guess,” Czech sixth seed Noskova told reporters yesterday. “For me, it has always been very important to focus on each match like nothing ever happened before. No success or no failure.” Noskova had to survive the agony of squandering five match points to outlast compatriot Karolina Muchova in the final of the grasscourt major to become the third Czech woman to win the Wimbledon title in four years. The 21-year-old Noskova admitted she is still getting used to life as a Grand Slam champion, an accomplishment that has given her the belief that more titles are possible. “It’s still all brand new, so it’s very tough to get used to whatever comes in this way,” Noskova said. “But I feel like I have learned mainly the fact that… it’s possible for me to do it, for me to make it till the very end, and just lift Grand Slam trophy.” Noskova’s Wimbledon triumph was followed by a string of new experiences she is still beaming about, including meeting Czech President Petr Pavel. “That was huge,” a smiling Noskova said. “I was so excited from the invite. “But also, the things that like my hometown welcomed me. 3,000 people came to one place. That was incredible to see just a bunch of people that actually watched the match.” Noskova, who is in the top half of the US Open draw with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and third seed Jessica Pegula, will face American Katie Volynets in the first round. – Reuters

Alcaraz anxious after layoff but feels great’ about wrist

first couple of rounds, you start to feel pretty good,” Fritz said. “Then at that point there’s no reason why he couldn’t, you know, find form and play really well. Who knows?” On Wednesday, Alcaraz showed flashes of brilliance, he looked rusty at times, with some pundits also noting that his serve lacked its customary pop. After Alcaraz and Sinner met in the finals of three slams in 2025, they will not face off in any of the biggest events in 2026 after Sinner’s withdrawal from New York due to a knee injury. “We are not gonna see each other for, like, six months now, seven months. So it’s kind of weird situation, to be honest,” Alcaraz said of his rival. “I just wish him all the best. Hopefully a really great recovery and see him back on court at his best once again.” – AFP major challenge in tennis. “USTA is doing great getting underserved community kids to play the game. Obviously, so many things cost, rac quets, strings, coaching, shoes, whatever.” The USTA’s 2026 US Tennis Participation Report said 3.7 million Black Americans played tennis at least once in 2025, an increase of more than 450,000 players from the previous year. The report also showed broader changes in the demographic profile of US tennis players. Hispanic/Latino players accounted for 19% of participants in 2025, up from 18% in 2024, while Asian/Pacific Islander players accounted for 11%, unchanged from the pre vious year. While he said the sport was progressing, Tiafoe cautioned that affordability could not be solved quickly. – Reuters want to defend myself, but obviously I just don’t want to talk about that period. I’ve been dealing with several things. “But who cares, right? I didn’t perform my best. These tough lessons are definitely going to make me way, way stronger and working even harder. “I work on my mental side of the game. I was trying to reset my mind and to come back stronger, so it’s only going to make me stronger. It’s only a matter of time for me to come back.” Sabalenka could become only the third woman after Chris Evert and Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Opens if she claims the fifth Grand Slam title of her career in New York. –AFP Osaka. Those defeats were followed by fourth round exits at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open earlier this month, leaving Sabalenka with everything to prove heading to New York. Sabalenka though said she is confident of playing her way out of poor form. “That’s the beauty of sport,” she said. “Throw tough chal lenges at me, I will come back only stronger. “It wasn’t the best period. I don’t

in the quarterfinals. The Spanish star would normally be an automatic favorite to win again in New York. But the injury has made him more of a question mark in 2026. Other top players are not discounting Alcaraz’ chances. “I expect him to be maybe a bit rusty the first or second match, but once he gets through that, I think he’s going to be a con tender for sure here,” said second-ranked Alexander Zverev, the top seed due to the withdrawal of world number one Jannik Sinner. Coming back after a layoff at a Grand Slam where men play three out of five sets is “not necessarily easy to do,” said American Taylor Fritz, the ninth seed. “But, you know, if you can get past those think it’s honestly one of the most diverse sports.” The New York setting of the US Open shares that diversity, Pegula said. “You see a lot of different countries and fans and different types of people come out and support who they love to support,” she said. Tiafoe said representation in the women’s game had been strong for years and pointed to an increasing number of players from a range of backgrounds com peting near the top of the men’s game. Tiafoe and France’s Arthur Fils made his tory at the Cincinnati Open last week when they became the first Black players to face each other in an ATP 1000 tournament final. “That’s never happened in tennis. That’s a huge thing,” Tiafoe said. Tiafoe stressed that access remained a Belarus arrives in New York following a disappointing run of recent results and has not won a tournament since her victory in the Miami Open in March. However the four-time Grand Slam singles champion insists she is ready to turn the page at Flushing Meadows over the next fortnight, a venue that has been a happy hunting ground for her in recent years with back-to back wins in 2024 and 2025. “Always confident,” the 28-year-old told reporters about her mindset. Sabalenka started the year in blistering form, with a win in Brisbane before reaching the final of the Australian Open, where she lost in three sets to Elena Rybakina. She bounced back from that loss to complete the “Sunshine Double” with wins at Indian Wells and Miami but has not chal lenged for a title since. She exited in the quarterfinals at the French Open and was bundled out in the fourth round at Wimbledon by Naomi ARYNA SABALENKA brushed off concerns about her slumping form yesterday as she prepared to launch her bid for a third straight US Open crown. The world No. 1 from

Open and Wimbledon. Alcaraz, who partnered Serena Williams in the US Open’s mixed doubles event on Wednesday, told reporters yester day that his coaching and support team had complete confidence that he was ready to go. “I gotta trust my people that tell me that it’s gonna be fine. So I just have to go 100 percent,” he said. “So I’m just trying to to like stay away … from that fear.” Alcaraz will open his defense against Russian veteran Roman Safiullin on Tuesday. Should he clear that and the sub sequent two matches, he could face a potential fourth round match with Tommy Paul or Alexander Bublik, with potentially either Ben Shelton or Arthur Fils looming

Sabalenka ‘confident’ ahead of US Open three-peat bid

Aryna Sabalenka winning the 2025 US Open. – AFP FILEPIC

Pegula, Tiafoe see progress on diversity in tennis

AMERICAN players Jessica Pegula and Frances Tiafoe said tennis is moving in the right direction on diversity as Tiafoe high lighted increased representation at the top of the game and the financial barriers facing young players. Pegula said the sport’s global reach was one of its strengths, pointing to players from around the world and the varied fan bases they attract. “I think the best part of tennis is there is so much diversity,” Pegula told reporters yesterday in Flushing Meadows ahead of the US Open. “Everybody from around the world can play.” Pegula cited representation among Black players, as well as the growth of tennis in Asia due to players such as Alex Eala of the Philippines and Qinwen Zheng of China. “You see talent from all over the world. I