Italian tennis medical chief questions Carlos Alcaraz’s form amid wrist injury uncertainty

Gianni Danielli, the Italian Tennis Federation’s chief medical officer, has suggested Carlos Alcaraz could be experiencing a period of poor mental health as uncertainty continues over the Spanish player’s wrist injury.

Danielli’s comments have prompted controversy because there has been no official medical statement from Spain clarifying the nature or seriousness of Alcaraz’s problem. The Italian official questioned whether the lack of information had contributed to speculation about both the injury and the 22-year-old’s recent form.

Speaking to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Danielli said: “Spain has not yet clarified the nature of Alcaraz’s wrist injury, and now speculation is growing that he is going through a period of mental weakness. He wants to regain his previous level but is suffering from a kind of depression, a vicious circle that prevents him from recovering his self-confidence.”

He later added: “Doubts have begun to emerge.”

Danielli also expressed regret that his compatriot Jannik Sinner had not been able to face a player of Alcaraz’s ability, while discussing the contrasting situations surrounding the two leading figures in men’s tennis.

The comments come as Alcaraz’s condition and return date remain unclear. No detailed diagnosis has been publicly released, leaving Danielli to draw a link between the physical issue and the player’s psychological state. That interpretation has attracted criticism and concern because it involves discussing a player’s mental health without a confirmed medical announcement.

Alcaraz has established himself among the leading players in the sport, but Danielli’s remarks focused on the uncertainty surrounding his current situation rather than providing any new medical information. The Italian official did not say when the Spaniard would return to competition.

Sinner withdrawal viewed as precaution

Danielli also addressed Sinner’s decision to withdraw from the Cincinnati Masters 1000 event because of knee pain, insisting that the move should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a serious injury.

He said: “Tennis players are not concerned only with their physical health. The world number one does not enter a Masters 1000 tournament to train, play two matches and then go home.”

Danielli believes Sinner’s withdrawal was more likely to have been a precaution designed to protect his fitness than a sign of a major problem. He also played down fears over the Italian’s prospects at the US Open, although he said the player would need to be monitored closely.

“We should not exaggerate this, although we must keep a close eye on him, and I think he will be fine at the US Open,” Danielli said.

The medical chief warned that Sinner might encounter some difficulties in the early rounds of the tournament, as happened during his Wimbledon campaign, but described that possibility as part of the “calculated risks” involved in managing a player’s fitness.

While Danielli was broadly reassuring about Sinner, his comments have placed renewed attention on Alcaraz, whose wrist injury has not been fully explained and whose timetable for returning to competitive tennis remains unknown.