The gruelling ATP Tour season is already beginning to take its toll on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz’s wrist injury forced him out of the Barcelona Open and he will play no part at the Madrid Open later this month either.
Sinner, meanwhile, is still yet to confirm if he will play Madrid following his triptych of titles at the Sunshine Double and the Monte-Carlo Masters.
As the schedule decided to grind both stars down, Juan Martin del Potro has shared some advice with them that might help them with injuries.
Juan Martin del Potro’s advice for Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz
Del Potro suffered with several injuries during his career and he does not want the same thing to happen to Sinner and Alcaraz.
The Argentine believes their huge lead at the top of the ATP Tour should allow them to take more breaks than they currently do.
Should Carlos Alcaraz have skipped the Barcelona Open? Did he make a mistake by playing it?
Speaking to La Nacion, del Potro suggested: “Given their current level of play, they’ll try to take care of their bodies. Well, now Alcaraz had a wrist problem, and important tournaments are coming up.
“At such a young age, they’re going to manage their careers to fight for the big titles because they really have a great opportunity. They also have a chance to do it [take care of themselves].
“First, because they have a significant advantage in the rankings. Second, because their level of play shows that wherever they play, they win.
“Having won so many Grand Slams and fighting for the number one ranking tournament after tournament helps them focus on that: the Grand Slams, the number one ranking, and trying to get closer to the records held by the Big 3.
“They have many years of their careers ahead of them, and it’s very likely that if they continue at this high level, they’ll get very close, and who knows what might happen in the future. I like it because it’s created a rivalry that divides tennis fans, and when they play, the matches are fantastic.”
The mistakes Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have already made
Del Potro is absolutely right about Sinner and Alcaraz and it is baffling why they currently play in any tournament lower than a Masters event.
The schedule is hard enough without adding ATP 500 events and exhibition matches to their already-stacked calendar.
Should Carlos Alcaraz hire another coach after his recent results?
If so, who should he hire? 🤔
Sinner and Alcaraz both played the Qatar Open this year after receiving a $1.2 million appearance fee at the ATP 500 event.
While the money was surely a boost, it seems a strange decision from both men now that they are struggling with the hectic build-up of tournaments.
Sinner and Alcaraz also started the season with an exhibition match in South Korea, which seems like a mistake too.
If Sinner and Alcaraz are to get anywhere close to matching the accolades of the big three, they will need to be cleverer with their tournament management.
