Carlos Alcaraz is reportedly targeting a return at next month's Cincinnati Open after spending three months sidelined by a wrist injury. The Spanish star has missed several tournaments, including the French Open and Wimbledon, and dropped in the rankings this week following his absence at the All England Club.
Jannik Sinner Calls for Alcaraz's Return
Even Jannik Sinner, who beat Alcaraz in the 2025 Wimbledon final and then defeated Alexander Zverev to defend his crown this year, has been missing his greatest rival. Hours after lifting the Wimbledon trophy for the second time, Sinner declared: "We hope that Carlos is coming back, as well, because tennis needs him."
Alcaraz's Rehabilitation Progress
Alcaraz recently returned to practice using his right arm, but concerns arose when his name did not appear on the entry list for the Masters 1000 in Canada, which begins on August 2. According to Spanish outlet La Verdad, he is aiming to compete at the next Masters event in Cincinnati, kicking off on August 13.
The report states that Alcaraz must be "medically cleared" by Dr Angel Ruiz-Cotorro, who worked with Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz met with Ruiz-Cotorro last Friday, and they are expected to meet again this week to give the world No. 3 clearance to continue increasing his training load, with a goal of returning in Cincinnati.
Wrist Injury and Recovery
The seven-time Grand Slam champion has shared positive updates on social media in recent weeks, posting videos of himself training on a tennis court. As he increases the workload, Ruiz-Cotorro will continue monitoring his progress. However, Alcaraz's wrist is said to be "healthy" and "completely healed".
The 23-year-old has already missed two Grand Slam tournaments this year. He lifted the trophy at Roland Garros in 2024 and 2025, but was unable to defend his crown again this year. He also pulled out of Wimbledon with six weeks' notice.
US Open Title Defence
Alcaraz is the reigning US Open champion and is hoping to be back in action with plenty of time for his title defence in Flushing Meadows. Entering the Cincinnati Open would give him an opportunity to play some matches before going into best-of-five-set Grand Slam matches.
The world No. 3 injured his wrist during his first-round match at the Barcelona Open in April. He received a medical timeout while 5-4 up on Otto Virtanen, but played on and won 6-4 6-2. However, Alcaraz withdrew from the tournament ahead of his next match and has not competed since.
