Carlos Alcaraz will return to the US Open after four months sidelined by a right wrist injury, the defending champion confirmed on social media. The 23-year-old has not played a competitive match since injuring the wrist at the Barcelona Open on 14 April, but announced his intention to compete at Flushing Meadows in a joint Instagram post with Fabrizio Romano. Alcaraz echoed Romano’s catchphrase, writing "here we go!" on X with an American flag and plane emoji.
The declaration ends a prolonged absence that cost Alcaraz opportunities to defend ranking points and tournament titles. He was replaced as world number two by Alexander Zverev after missing the Cincinnati Open, while Jannik Sinner occupies the top spot following his Wimbledon victory. The US Open singles begin on Sunday, 30 August in New York, and Alcaraz’s place in the draw restores a marquee name to the field.
Alcaraz arrived in 2024 with momentum, beating Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January and completing a career Grand Slam as the youngest man to do so. He added February’s Qatar Open to his season, reached the Indian Wells semi-finals in March and exited the Miami Open in the third round, then lost to Sinner in Monte Carlo. He played only once in Barcelona before the wrist problem forced him out of the clay and grass swings.
His comeback has been cautious. He returned to light training in July, was photographed hitting on 4 August, then withdrew from Cincinnati a day later. He has been practising at home in Murcia, often wearing a sleeve on his forearm, and has spent time on court with Holger Rune as Rune resumes training after last October’s Achilles rupture. Tournament organisers still hold three mixed doubles wildcards, leaving open the possibility Alcaraz will seek extra match time the week before the singles event.
Wrist injuries have truncated careers before, a reality Alcaraz acknowledged in April when he said he did not want to risk further damage for "future tournaments". Examples cited in his sport include players forced into early retirement or long absences by similar problems. With no competitive matches since mid-April, his physical readiness will be the central storyline in New York, while Sinner’s dominance in his absence — only three defeats this year and a spotless Sunshine Double — frames the challenge Alcaraz must overcome if he is to defend his title.
