‘Don’t Come Up and Shake My Hand’ – Andy Roddick Shares His Theory on Carlos Alcaraz’s Wrist Guard

When Carlos Alcaraz was frequently shown on screen during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, there were two noticeable things: his fresh new haircut and, more concerning, a protective wrap still lingering on his wrist. Former pro and Hall of Famer Andy Roddick recently addressed these growing concerns on his podcast, “Served with Andy Roddick.”

Andy Roddick Defends Carlos Alcaraz’s Wrist Wrap at FIFA World Cup Amid US Open Concerns

After being sidelined by an injury to his right wrist since April, the Spaniard’s name is on the entry lists for both the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

Despite his time away from the court, Alcaraz turned heads at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina. After presenting the Louis Vuitton trophy trunk pre-game, he supported his home country from the stands. Broadcast cameras even caught his viral reaction to a disallowed goal before he celebrated Spain’s thrilling 1-0 extra-time victory.

But it was the sight of the wrist brace that sparked speculation, with people wondering whether his recovery had stalled.

Roddick and veteran sports journalist Jon Wertheim recently discussed Alcaraz’s injury situation on the newest episode of the podcast. According to Roddick, fans shouldn’t hit the panic button just yet, because the wrap might be a brilliant piece of crowd protection.

Noting that Alcaraz is already slated to compete in the upcoming Cincinnati Open and the US Open, Wertheim brought up the television broadcast’s repeated focus on the World No. 3’s braced arm. And Roddick had a very relatable perspective.

“Here I was thinking, ‘Oh gosh, that’s not great.’ But then I thought, if I’m him, do I wear a rollerblading wrist guard? If you’re in a bunch of people and you’ve had a wrist injury, I would 100% have some marker that says, ‘Don’t come up and shake my hand.’ Maybe that’s all it was,” said the 2003 US Open winner.

MORE: ‘Vamos’ – Coco Gauff, Eva Lys, Others React As Carlos Alcaraz Poses With Lamine Yamal and FIFA World Cup Trophy

“Even if it was mostly fine, even if I’m close to being back, I’m hitting balls, whatever, I’m not going to the World Cup to shake 250 hands and have some guy who’s been on one come at me a little too hard. I get it,” Roddick added. He also joked that he almost didn’t notice the wrist because of the 23-year-old’s new haircut.

Alcaraz’s right wrist injury, an inflamed tendon sheath, sidelined him in April and forced him to miss the bulk of the European clay and grass seasons, including Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Being cautious rather than rushing a return, he recently skipped the Montréal Masters as well to focus on his training block. With his wrist now reportedly fully healed, Alcaraz is targeting a comeback at the Cincinnati Masters ahead of the US Open.