The US Open demands everything from tennis pros. Learn how Djokovic, Alcaraz and co. deal with extreme pressure, heat and injuries, and what that means for your game.
The US Open is known for its gripping atmosphere, but also for its extreme conditions. When temperatures and humidity rise in New York, the court becomes a heat battle. Pros there fight not only against their opponents, but also against their own bodies, cramps and enormous mental pressure. The recent events of the tournament impressively show how thin the line is between peak performance and physical collapse – and provide valuable lessons for every recreational athlete.
How brutal the conditions in New York can be had to be experienced by even one of the greatest of the sport. According to reports from Ubitennis, Novak Djokovic surprisingly crashed out in the first round against Mariano Navone. Djokovic fought for over four and a half hours with massive physical problems. He vomited several times, suffered from back and shoulder pain and complained of full-body cramps in the end. After the match, he explained that the combination of heat, high humidity and mental tension drastically worsened his health problems.
The match of Terence Atmane was even more dramatic. As reported by Tennis Majors, the Frenchman suffered from such severe full-body cramps that he temporarily had to serve underarm and with his weaker right hand. When he asked the tournament physiotherapist for help, treatment was refused. The reason: according to the rules, medical treatment is not allowed directly for cramps. Atmane argued in vain that it was general pain, but the physio left empty-handed.
Other pros had to withdraw even before the first ball was hit. Casper Ruud withdrew due to a back injury sustained in training. As reported by Ubitennis, Ruud decided together with his team to think long-term and give his body the necessary time to heal. Barbora Krejcikova also exited early, complaining of completely empty batteries after a long season, despite having worked hard in training.
In addition to the physical component, the head plays a decisive role. Even experienced top players like Jessica Pegula are not immune to self-doubt before the start of a big tournament. According to Tennis Majors, Pegula openly admitted to being extremely nervous in the first round: "Everyone kind of goes crazy the first couple of days."
The mental return after an injury break is particularly difficult. Carlos Alcaraz was under great pressure after a four-and-a-half-month break due to a wrist injury. As reported by tennisnet.com, Alcaraz confessed to an unusual nervousness and fear of the first real competition. He had to learn not to give the worries about his wrist any space in his head. Jasmine Paolini, who returned after a foot injury, also felt significant "rust" in her first match and had to fight her way through the tournament despite error-prone play, as Ubitennis writes.
Even if you do not play in the Arthur Ashe Stadium in front of thousands of spectators, the experiences of the pros can be transferred to your own training and matches:
Your takeaway: Prepare consistently for heat and nervousness, prevent cramps in good time and accept that some playing rust is completely normal after a break.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.