Carlos Alcaraz Spotted Practicing Outdoors With His New Hair for the First Time Amid Injury Layoff

After a prolonged absence from the ATP Tour, Carlos Alcaraz is officially back in his element. The 23-year-old, who has been sidelined for months due to a right wrist injury, has shared updates on his recovery through training videos, but just hours ago, he was spotted hitting outdoors for the first time since his layoff began. And adding to the excitement is the on-court debut of his viral new hairstyle, cornrow braids.

Carlos Alcaraz Returns to Outdoor Practice for First Time Since Injury

A recent post shared on X (formerly Twitter) captured the long-awaited sight of the seven-time major champion hitting groundstrokes on an outdoor hard court. Alcaraz is scheduled to return at the Cincinnati Open, starting on August 13.

In another clip, Alcaraz was spotted training with his younger brother Jaime.

The trouble began in mid-April during the clay-court swing. While playing his opening match against Finland’s Otto Virtanen at the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz felt significant discomfort in his right wrist. Though he managed to push through the pain and win the match, he had to withdraw from the tournament the very next day.

The medical team diagnosed the Spaniard with right wrist tenosynovitis, an inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath around a tendon. Because wrist injuries can easily become chronic, career-altering problems for tennis players if not healed correctly, Alcaraz and his team immediately made the difficult decision to shut down his schedule.

Out of concern for his long-term health, the World No. 3 withdrew from several major tournaments, including the Italian Open in Rome, the French Open, and Wimbledon. During the initial stages of his recovery, he was entirely sidelined, wearing a splint on the joint.

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Now that he is getting closer to his return, however, the more interesting news for the fans is his new hairstyle. In 2025, right before the US Open, Alcaraz introduced a buzz cut, which he later followed with platinum-blonde coloring days after winning the tournament.

At both Cincinnati and New York, the 23-year-old is the defending champion. It will be interesting to see him back while his major rival, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, has been having a historic season, winning the Career Golden Masters in May and Wimbledon earlier this month. Both Sinner and Novak Djokovic decided to skip the Canadian Open alongside Alcaraz to prioritize their health and will be back in Ohio.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.