Seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz will return to professional tennis at the US Open after a four-month recovery from a wrist injury.
After an extended period of inactivity spanning more than four months, tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz has officially confirmed his participation in the upcoming US Open. The seven-time Grand Slam champion, who has been sidelined due to a persistent wrist injury, is slated to compete in the tournament scheduled for late August through mid-September. This return marks a significant milestone for the 22-year-old, who has been absent from the professional circuit since withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in April.
The decision to rejoin the tour at Flushing Meadows follows a cautious recovery process. While Alcaraz initially aimed for a comeback at the tournament in Cincinnati, he and his medical team ultimately decided that additional recovery time was necessary to ensure the wrist was fully prepared for the rigors of high-intensity competitive play. ized long-term health over an earlier, potentially risky return.
In the lead-up to his formal announcement, Alcaraz has been meticulously testing his physical limits. Recent weeks have seen him gradually ramp up his training workload, moving from lighter sessions to high-intensity hitting. Notable training sessions in his hometown of Murcia, which included practice matches with fellow professional Holger Rune, provided the necessary evidence that his wrist could withstand the demands of professional-grade rallies.
The confirmation of his comeback was shared through a creative, sports-focused announcement on social media, signaling to fans and competitors alike that he is ready to defend his title. This transition back to the match court is the culmination of a disciplined rehabilitation program designed to prevent re-injury while allowing him to regain the match fitness required to compete against the world’s elite players.
New York City holds a special place in the career trajectory of the young phenom. It was at the US Open in 2022 that Alcaraz secured his maiden Grand Slam title, a victory that propelled him to the top of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings, making him the youngest player ever to achieve the world number one status. Returning to the site of his breakthrough win provides a fitting stage for his highly anticipated comeback.
His absence from the tour throughout the spring and summer was marked orced to miss prestigious events in Madrid and Rome, as well as the French Open, where he was the two-time defending champion. Missing Wimbledon, where Jannik Sinner ultimately claimed back-to-back titles, was another challenge, yet Alcaraz has managed to maintain his standing, recently reclaiming the world number two ranking ahead of Alexander Zverev.
The 2026 season has been a rollercoaster for the Spaniard. Despite the injury setback, he reached a historic peak in January complete a career Grand Slam. Following that success with a hard-court title in Doha during February, he seemed poised for a dominant year until the wrist injury halted his momentum.
Historically, Alcaraz has been incredibly durable, having missed only one Grand Slam tournament since his main draw debut at the 2021 Australian Open—a 2023 hamstring injury that kept him out of Melbourne. As he prepares to step onto the court in New York, the tennis world will be watching closely to see if he can recapture the form that made him the most formidable force in the sport earlier this year. His presence at the US Open significantly shifts the landscape of the tournament, reintroducing a top-tier contender to the field.