Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed his return to professional tennis and will defend his US Open title after spending nearly four months away from competition because of a right wrist injury. The Spaniard announced his comeback shortly before the final Grand Slam tournament of the season, ending uncertainty over whether his recovery would allow him to compete in New York.
Alcaraz has not played an official match since April, when the wrist problem forced him out of the Barcelona Open. The injury proved more disruptive than initially hoped, keeping him away throughout the main clay and grass seasons and forcing him to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon. It has been an unusually long absence for a player who has become one of the leading contenders at virtually every major tournament he enters.
The Spaniard has gradually increased the intensity of his training in recent weeks, with footage from practice sessions showing him striking the ball at close to full intensity. He had initially been expected to return during the North American hard-court swing, but skipped Toronto and subsequently withdrew from Cincinnati. That decision raised fresh doubts about his US Open participation, although his team ultimately chose to prioritise recovery rather than risk returning too early.
He will therefore arrive in New York under highly unusual circumstances – without an official match in four months and without competitive hard-court preparation immediately before a Grand Slam. That may be the biggest uncertainty surrounding his campaign. Training intensity can be rebuilt, but the pressure, decision-making and physical demands of a five-set Grand Slam match are difficult to reproduce away from competition.
Despite his absence, Alcaraz remains world No. 2 and one of the leading contenders for the championship. He won the US Open for the second time last year, defeating Jannik Sinner in the final. New York also holds special significance in his career because it was there in 2022 that he captured his first Grand Slam title and subsequently became the youngest men’s world No. 1 in ATP rankings history.
His start to 2026 had also been exceptional. Alcaraz won the Australian Open to complete the career Grand Slam at just 22, becoming the youngest man to win all four major singles championships. He followed that achievement with another title in Doha and a strong start to the season before the wrist injury abruptly stopped his momentum.
Missing Roland Garros and Wimbledon was particularly significant because Alcaraz had already demonstrated his ability to win on every surface. Instead of competing for more major trophies during the heart of the season, he was forced to concentrate on rehabilitation and a gradual return to full training.
There is also uncertainty surrounding his biggest rival. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from Cincinnati because of a knee problem, meaning two of the leading contenders approach the final Grand Slam of the year with questions surrounding their physical condition.
For Alcaraz, the opening rounds could therefore be particularly important. If he can gradually rediscover competitive rhythm without the wrist causing further problems, his experience and proven ability to produce his best tennis in major matches could quickly make him one of the players to beat again.
The US Open begins on August 30 and runs through September 13. For Alcaraz, however, the tournament represents much more than an ordinary title defence. After four months away from competition, New York will reveal whether one of the outstanding players of his generation can move almost directly from rehabilitation back to the highest level of Grand Slam tennis.
