Carlos Alcaraz’s 2026 US Open Return Is Still Uncertain After Wrist Injury

Carlos Alcaraz’s 2026 US Open title defence remains possible but far from certain. The defending champion is listed for the tournament, which begins on August 30, yet his withdrawal from Cincinnati removed his last scheduled opportunity to regain match fitness before New York.

The central question is no longer whether Alcaraz can hit hard in practice. It is whether his right wrist can withstand the repeated serving, forehands and five-set intensity of a Grand Slam after a layoff of nearly five months.

What happened to Alcaraz’s wrist?

Alcaraz felt discomfort in his right wrist during his first-round match against Finland’s Otto Virtanen at the Barcelona Open on April 14. He completed a 6–4, 6–2 victory, but withdrew before his scheduled second-round meeting with Tomáš Macháč. Tournament officials said medical tests showed the problem was more serious than initially expected.

Subsequent reporting identified the injury as tenosynovitis: inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath surrounding a tendon in the wrist. Alcaraz’s decision to stop playing was intended to prevent the issue from producing longer-term effects, rather than to push through the pain.

Why has he missed so many tournaments?

The absences have been connected to the same ongoing wrist problem, not a succession of unrelated injuries. Alcaraz missed the Italian Open and then could not defend his French Open title or play Wimbledon during the grass-court season.

He later withdrew from the Canadian Open while continuing his rehabilitation. Although he had begun hitting on court again, his return was not considered ready for tournament competition.

Cincinnati was expected to be the most useful final test before the US Open. Instead, organisers confirmed on August 4 that Alcaraz had withdrawn because the wrist injury was still ongoing. That decision extended his competitive absence from his Barcelona match on April 14 and left him without a confirmed tune-up event before the season’s final major.

What do the training videos and entry list actually show?

Recent videos of Alcaraz striking at high intensity are encouraging. They suggest that his rehabilitation has progressed far enough for substantial tennis work, including full swings and serve practice.

His place on the US Open entry list also means he is keeping the option of defending his title open. The tournament’s main draw is scheduled to begin on August 30.

Neither sign amounts to a final medical clearance or a confirmed appearance. Alcaraz had already returned to practice before withdrawing from Canada and Cincinnati, demonstrating the difference between being able to train and being ready to compete through a demanding tournament.

Why former players are urging caution

José Luis “Batata” Clerc, a former world No. 4, has advised Alcaraz to skip the US Open and return during the Asian swing instead. Clerc’s argument is that Alcaraz would be entering best-of-five-set matches without the competitive timing and endurance normally rebuilt through preparation tournaments.

Former American player Steve Johnson made a related point from an injury-risk perspective: if there is any meaningful chance of aggravating the wrist, protecting the joint should take priority over playing one tournament, even a Grand Slam.

Those warnings are opinions, not medical diagnoses. But they identify the practical test Alcaraz still has to pass. A practice session can demonstrate power and range of motion; it cannot fully reproduce the physical and psychological demands of several successive five-set matches.

What is at stake in New York?

Alcaraz is defending the US Open title he won against Jannik Sinner in 2025, beating the Italian 6–2, 3–6, 6–1, 6–4 for his second championship in New York and sixth major title at the time. Reporting later in 2026 described him as a seven-time Grand Slam champion after his Australian Open victory.

The tournament would therefore test both his fitness and his ability to resume a rivalry that has shaped the top of men’s tennis. Alcaraz and Sinner have repeatedly met in major late rounds, and their absence from parts of the 2026 schedule has created a noticeable gap around the tour’s biggest events.

Sinner has also missed the Canadian and Cincinnati tournaments, but for a separate right-knee problem. Both players remain listed for the US Open in the latest reporting, adding another layer of uncertainty to the prospective draw.

The current verdict

Alcaraz is entered but not confirmed fit for the 2026 US Open. His training footage points to progress, while the Cincinnati withdrawal shows that his rehabilitation has not yet translated into a competitive return. The decisive unknown is whether the wrist can tolerate repeated match play—not whether he can produce isolated full-intensity shots in practice.

On the available evidence, it is too early to say that Alcaraz has received final clearance or that he will definitely defend his title. The clearest update will come when he either confirms his participation or withdraws before the draw.