Alcaraz to defend US Open title after four-month injury lay-off
World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz will return to competitive tennis at Flushing Meadows, aiming for a third major title following a right wrist injury that kept him sidelined since April.
Carlos Alcaraz is set to make his competitive return at the US Open, where he will attempt to defend his title at Flushing Meadows. The 23-year-old Spaniard has been absent from the ATP Tour for four months due to a right wrist injury, a period that saw him miss his defence of the French Open title and Wimbledon.
The comeback was confirmed by football transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, who used his signature “here we go” phrase on social media to announce the news. Alcaraz subsequently shared the update on X, accompanied by a United States flag, signalling his readiness to compete.
Alcaraz’s last competitive appearance was at the Barcelona Open in April, before he withdrew due to the wrist issue. He was originally scheduled to return at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month but pulled out of that event, delaying his return until the Grand Slam commences on 30 August.
Despite the extended lay-off, the Spaniard remains at No 2 in the world rankings. He enters the tournament having won the Australian Open earlier this season, as well as the ATP 500 Qatar Open, and reaching the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters before his injury flared up.
The US Open represents a significant opportunity for Alcaraz to claim his third title at the venue, having previously won the event in 2022 and 2024. The tournament is also set to offer a record prize money purse of $108m, representing a 20 per cent increase over the previous year.
According to Sky Sports, the absence of Alcaraz and rival Jannik Sinner from the Canadian and Cincinnati Opens is notable, as no male player has won the US Open without participating in at least one of those events since the Masters format began in 1990.
