Carlos Alcaraz is still planning to return to competition at the Japan Open in Tokyo next month, despite pulling out of the Cincinnati Open, tournament organizers have confirmed.
The world No. 2 has not played since April due to a wrist injury sustained at the Barcelona Open, forcing him to miss the French Open, Wimbledon, and several ATP Tour events. He was due to return at the Cincinnati Open, which runs from August 13 to 23, but withdrew on Tuesday, casting doubt on his availability for the US Open at the end of August.
Japan Open Confirmation
Despite the setback, the Japan Open's broadcasting and ticketing partner, WOWOW, has confirmed that Alcaraz remains in the field for this year's ATP 500 event, scheduled for late September. The reigning champion was featured in a social media post about ticket sales alongside Ben Shelton, Kei Nishikori, Taylor Fritz, and Joao Fonseca.
Last month, the Japan Open also noted on their website that Alcaraz was still in the field. The tournament's statement read: "Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Lorenzo Musetti, Joao Fonseca, and Kei Nishikori have been joined by world No. 6 Ben Shelton and world No. 23 Arthur Fils. This means that the champions of this tournament from 2022 onwards—Fritz (2022), Shelton (2023), Fils (2024), and Alcaraz (2025)—will all be competing together in the 2026 tournament."
Road to Recovery
Alcaraz, a seven-time Major champion, won the Japan Open in 2025 and reportedly has a multi-year agreement to compete in the event. While his immediate future remains uncertain, there is still hope he could be ready for the US Open in Flushing Meadows.
According to La Verdad, Alcaraz and his team are considering requesting a wildcard into the ATP 250 event in Winston-Salem for the week of August 24, just before the US Open begins. He is also slated to represent Team Europe at the Laver Cup in London's O2 Arena from September 25 to 27 before heading to Tokyo for his title defense.
