Carlos Alcaraz confirms US Open return after four-month absence

Carlos Alcaraz will play at the US Open. The Spaniard made it official with a suitably flashy announcement on Instagram on Wednesday.

He posted a ‘Here we go’ message alongside football transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, wearing his Nike gear with US Open branding in the background.

It brings a long wait to an end. Alcaraz has been away from the Tour since April, with a troublesome right wrist putting his season on pause.

Carlos Alcaraz finally back for his US Open defence

The injury forced the seven-time Grand Slam champion to sit out both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Now he is ready to defend the crown he won at Flushing Meadows last season.

That title came with a win over Jannik Sinner in the final. Alcaraz carried that momentum into 2026, winning the Australian Open and racing to a 22–3 start before the wrist injury in Barcelona stopped him in his tracks.

There is one silver lining. Despite barely playing for months, he has held on to his No. 2 ranking.

Practice-court sightings had been giving fans hope all summer. But his Cincinnati withdrawal threw another twist into the comeback story, and with the tournament already running, some questioned whether he could jump straight into a Grand Slam without match preparation.

Alcaraz does not seem bothered by the doubters. The announcement makes clear that New York was always the target.

He is not the only big name returning under a cloud. World No. 1 Sinner has also been missing since winning Wimbledon, pulling out of Cincinnati with a right-knee injury. The Italian is determined to be ready for the final major of the year.

That could make the US Open a very different story. Two of the biggest names in tennis are heading back to Queens with question marks over their fitness, and both will need a few answers quickly once it is officially underway.

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