Daniele told Italy's La Repubblica on 11/8 that the nature of Alcaraz's wrist injury remains unclear, as Spain has not issued an official statement. This lack of clarity, he suggested, invites speculation about Alcaraz's mental state and his ability to regain form.

"In Spain, it is still unclear what type of wrist injury Alcaraz has", Daniele stated. "Now, hypotheses about a psychological problem are starting to emerge. Alcaraz wants to regain his previous form but seems to be falling into a form of depression, creating a vicious cycle that prevents him from regaining confidence", Daniele said.

Alcaraz has been sidelined since April due to a wrist injury. The 23-year-old missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon, then also withdrew from the Canada Open and Cincinnati Open. He recently returned to training but has not yet set an official date for his competitive return.

Alcaraz received medical attention during the Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev in Melbourne, Australia, on 30/1. *Photo: Reuters*

Spain's Marca newspaper expressed surprise at the Italian tennis official's assessment, especially given his medical background. Daniele also stated it was unfortunate that the Spanish player could not return to his top form.

"Doubts are starting to emerge. It is a pity, even for world number one Sinner, not to be able to face such a high-level opponent", Daniele added.

This marks the second time Alcaraz has been the subject of remarks from a high-ranking Italian official. In June, Italian Tennis Federation President Angelo Binaghi publicly mentioned Alcaraz when commenting on the Spanish player's yacht purchase, comparing him to Jannik Sinner.

"If you allow me to make a comparison, Jannik would never buy a yacht worth more than 6 million USD like Alcaraz", Binaghi told Corriere della Sera.

Daniele's latest statements were made while comparing the injury situations of Sinner and Alcaraz. Sinner has not competed since defending his Wimbledon title, also withdrawing from both Masters 1000 tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati.

According to Daniele, Sinner's decision to withdraw from the Cincinnati Open does not signify a serious injury.

"Players' concerns are not limited to physical health", Daniele elaborated. "A world number one player does not skip a Masters 1000 just to train, play two matches, then go home. We should not exaggerate this issue, though we still need to monitor him closely. I think Sinner will be fine at the US Open", he said.

Daniele predicted Sinner might encounter difficulties in the early rounds of the US Open, similar to what happened at Wimbledon. However, he views this as part of the "calculated risks" players must accept in top-level competition.

By Vy Anh