Carlos Alcaraz has sparked some injury concerns after training with tape over his knee during ATP Finals practice.
Training for the first time after arriving in Turin, Alcaraz was spotted with protective support around his right knee. He’s back on the court shortly after taking on the Paris Masters, where the Spaniard claimed the title.
Alcaraz overcame Ben Shelton in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in France, giving him a helpful confidence boost for the ATP Finals. However, the quick turnaround has seemingly led to the Spanish superstar requiring minor knee support, which has caused concern among some fans.
Carlos Alcaraz sparks injury concerns with knee tape in ATP Finals practice
Eagle-eyed fans spotted the small protective covering on Alcaraz’s knee during his opening training session in Turin, which has been identified as kinesiology tape and a patellar stabiliser. He has practiced with junior world number one Luis Guto Miguel in a bid to get to grips with the court at the Inalpi Arena.
But rather than being a major injury worry, it is much more likely a precautionary measure following his very busy period on the court. Alcaraz returned from a four-month injury layoff at the US Open, having been sidelined with a wrist injury. Since that Grand Slam in late August and early September, he has taken on the Laver Cup, Japan Open, Shanghai Masters, Vienna Open and Paris Masters.
Incidentally, he lifted the trophy at three out of four of those ATP events, after helping Team Europe win the Laver Cup. It’s been a sensational run from the 23-year-old, who enters the ATP Finals behind only Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner in the world rankings. Alcaraz is among the eight players to have qualified for the year-end tournament in Italy, which takes place on November 15-22.
Why Carlos Alcaraz may be the favourite to win the ATP Finals
While world number one Zverev is the highest-ranked player in Turin, and indeed the reigning French Open and US Open champion, the momentum is very much with Alcaraz. Most notably heading into Turin, he is currently on a 10-0 winning run on indoor courts.
READ MORE: Juan Carlos Ferrero confirms if he will sit in Ben Shelton’s player box at the ATP Finals
Just like Vienna and Paris, the ATP Finals will be played on indoor courts, a surface which the Spanish ace is clearly very comfortable playing on. He now boasts three indoor titles in his phenomenal career, while he’s also joined an exclusive ATP Masters 1000 list. He’s one of only 12 players to win titles at that level on indoor, outdoor hard court and clay since the creation of the category in 1990.
The draw for the ATP Finals group stages is expected to take place on Thursday afternoon, shortly after which Alcaraz will practice once again, this time with his rival Zverev. Elsewhere, Frances Tiafoe will practice with Rafael Jodar, Ben Shelton will train with Flavio Cobolli, and Arthur Fils will hit with Daniil Medvedev.
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Esta notĂcia foi originalmente publicada em: Fonte original