Carlos Alcaraz Loses Cool at US Open Organizers Following Odd Privacy Intervention

Just over a week ago, in R16 of the Cincinnati Open against Luca Nardi, Carlos Alcaraz did not shy away from standing up for what he thought was not his fault. Then, after two matches, the chair umpire asked him to hide the Evian-labelled water bottles he carried. Since the World No. 2 was not aware of any rule against bringing his sponsor’s accessories to the court, he did not budge. That would mean paying a fine. After a long back and forth, an attendant took care of the bottles. Fast forward to the US Open, Alcaraz had to stand against another rule.

Carlos Alcaraz entered the Flushing Meadows with good momentum from Cincinnati. However, he knows he has a mountain to climb with a tough draw carding him against multiple former champs, possibly including Novak Djokovic. So, he is already on the practice grounds for the men’s singles event after losing in the mixed doubles event alongside Emma Raducanu. But Friday’s practice session under the New York sunshine with Karen Khachanov saw him navigating another issue.

The Tennis Letter tweeted the video footage from Alcaraz’s practice session from yesterday. They added their thoughts in the caption, “Carlos Alcaraz doesn’t seem to be a fan of the practice cams I get it. Why are there microphones on them? Doesn’t that make it possible for potential opponents to hear tactics being discussed in certain areas? It’s already invasive, turn the mics off.”

During his training session, Alcaraz came across practice cameras right above their chairs. Alcaraz was not a fan of the cameras recording his session. But he got ticked when he noticed that the cameras even had microphones on them. That, of course, meant that any tactic discussed on the court was vulnerable to a leak. This didn’t go down well with Alcaraz, who had an irritated outburst with the officials present there.

Although the audio in the footage is not clearly audible, Alcaraz’s expressions show his frustration. He asked his team to not discuss anything, pointing towards the camera. He then asked the officials to come and explained the situation to them.

This annoyed reaction comes after Alcaraz has already been handed a tough draw at the US Open, while his rival, Jannik Sinner, will have an easy path to the final. Alcaraz could potentially come up against the former US Open champ, Daniil Medvedev, in the third round before squaring off against the likes of Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz. However, winning the US Open would get him not just another trophy but also the World No. 1 rank where Sinner currently sits.

Even though Alcaraz’s path is tougher, many pundits are predicting another Sinner-Alcaraz final. Recently, former ATP pro Paolo Bertolucci explained why the US Open is set for a sensational finale.

Top Comment by rosiegurl

So wrong !!! Why do they need mics at practice?

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Hopes are high for Carlos Alcaraz despite troubled times

Over the past few years, Alcaraz has shown tremendous mental fortitude to overcome difficult situations. At the US Open, his draw might be another tough time where he needs to bring out his best. Thus, former World Number 12 Bertolucci predicted that fans could be in for another Sincaraz final.

Talking about it, he said, “It seems to me that the draw, which should lead to yet another final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, is well balanced. I do not see many pitfalls; it’s still a two-week tournament, with certain obstacles, but largely within the reach of the world’s top two players. Jannik could face Alexander Zverev in the semi-final. Carlos would play against Taylor Fritz, Novak Djokovic or Holger Rune. They are high-profile names, but when they meet one of the two best players, they come out with “broken bones.””

With Alcaraz in good form and Jannik Sinner coming back from an illness after Cincinnati final retirement, the Spaniard can find his way to clinch the last Grand Slam tournament of the season. Who do you think will emerge as the US Open champion? Let us know your views in the comments below.