Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed his return to competitive action at the US Open after a four-month absence that saw him miss the French Open, Wimbledon and North American hard-court tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati.
Alcaraz serves as he trains with Holger Rune of Denmark at Real Sociedad Club De Campo on August 20, 2026 in El Palmar, Murcia, Spain [Clive Brunskill/Getty Images]
Carlos Alcaraz will return to competitive tennis at the US Open, ending a more than four-month absence caused by a wrist injury, in a bid to defend his title in New York.
The seven-times Grand Slam champion confirmed on Thursday that he will play the August 30-September 13 tournament after withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in April and missing the French Open, Wimbledon and the North American hard-court events in Toronto and Cincinnati.
Alcaraz had initially targeted Cincinnati, where he won last year, for his comeback but opted to give his wrist more time to recover.
He has gradually increased his workload in recent weeks and trained with Denmark’s Holger Rune in Murcia as he tested the injury at higher intensity.
His return was also given a football-style announcement by transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano on Instagram, who posted “Here we go!” alongside confirmation that Alcaraz would be back at the US Open.
New York holds particular significance for Alcaraz. He won his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2022, becoming the youngest player to reach world number one in the ATP rankings.
