Back at Flushing Meadows
Carlos Alcaraz has spoken candidly about his highly anticipated return to competitive tennis at the 2026 US Open, confessing he has missed "everything" about life on tour during his four-month absence. The 23-year-old Spaniard injured his right wrist at the Barcelona Open in April and subsequently missed both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, two tournaments where he would normally be considered among the leading contenders.
Alcaraz arrived at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center ahead of the tournament, practicing at Louis Armstrong Stadium in front of a sizable crowd. After the session, he made clear just how much the sport means to him. He described missing the atmosphere, the crowds, and even the ball kids, calling Flushing Meadows the perfect place to stage his comeback. He acknowledged that choosing to return at a best-of-five Grand Slam event was far from straightforward, but said he did everything possible to be ready.
The reigning champion enters the tournament having won the US Open title in 2025 by defeating Jannik Sinner in the final. He is also the youngest man in history to complete a career Grand Slam, having claimed that milestone at the 2026 Australian Open.
Rusedski Raises Doubts
Not everyone shares Alcaraz's confidence. Former world No. 4 Greg Rusedski, the 1997 US Open finalist, has called it "insanity" that bookmakers already list Alcaraz as the favorite despite no match play since April. Speaking on his podcast, Rusedski questioned whether a wrist can handle best-of-five tennis after such a long layoff and described the singles entry as far from the smartest decision.
Alcaraz will ease into the tournament by partnering Serena Williams in mixed doubles before deciding on his singles involvement. TennisDraw users are closely watching how bracket predictions shift depending on whether Alcaraz commits to the singles draw.
