Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed that he will return to competitive tennis at the 2026 US Open, ending a four-month absence caused by a right wrist injury.
The defending champion announced his comeback on Thursday, August 20, confirming that he will be in the field when the year’s final Grand Slam begins in New York.
Alcaraz has not played since April, when the wrist problem forced him to withdraw from the Barcelona Open.
The injury subsequently kept him out of the Madrid Open, Italian Open, French Open and Wimbledon before he also missed the North American hard-court events in Toronto and Cincinnati. He took to social media platform X to announce his comeback with a simple post, “HERE WE GO!”.
The Spaniard’s absence has cost him valuable ranking points and saw him lose the world number one position to Jannik Sinner.
His decision to skip Cincinnati meant he would enter the US Open without a competitive match since April, making the tournament an immediate test of how well his wrist has recovered.
Alcaraz had been working towards a return in recent weeks, with training footage from Murcia showing him back on court and hitting at a good level.
He had also been serving, an important part of his preparation given the demands that a Grand Slam places on the wrist.
The absence of surgery during his recovery had provided some encouragement that he could make it back in time for New York.
The 23-year-old now faces the difficult task of going directly into a best-of-five Grand Slam after such a long break.
Normally, players use tournaments such as Toronto and Cincinnati to regain match sharpness, test their fitness and build confidence before the US Open.
Alcaraz has had none of that preparation, meaning his opening rounds could provide an early indication of how his wrist responds to competitive tennis.
Alcaraz beat Sinner in the 2025 US Open final to win his second title at Flushing Meadows and add another Grand Slam trophy to his collection. He will therefore have some ranking points at stake throughout the tournament.
The draw is expected to feature most of the leading players, although Sinner’s participation remains a separate concern after the Italian withdrew from Cincinnati with a right knee problem.
The defending champion could therefore enter the tournament without having faced Sinner since their most recent meetings earlier in the season.
Leon Osamor
