Carlos Alcaraz's road back from injury has hit another painful obstacle. The Spaniard, who has been sidelined since suffering a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April, has officially withdrawn from the Cincinnati Masters, throwing his participation at the US Open into serious doubt.
Alcaraz missed both his French Open title defence and Wimbledon due to the same wrist problem, and Cincinnati had been viewed as his targeted return point. The defending Cincinnati champion had been generating cautious optimism in recent days, posting footage of himself striking the ball with clear power and aggression during practice sessions. However, tournament officials confirmed his withdrawal late Tuesday in an official statement, with tournament director Bob Moran expressing confidence that Alcaraz is doing everything possible to accelerate his recovery.
The stakes could hardly be higher. At Flushing Meadows last year, Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in a memorable final, banking 2,000 ranking points in the process. Failing to defend those points without competing would be a significant blow to his standings.
Former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski has been direct about what Cincinnati meant for Alcaraz's US Open prospects, stating plainly on his podcast that a Cincinnati appearance was essentially a prerequisite. Without match sharpness and the volume of competitive play needed to round into form, attempting a Grand Slam feels premature, Rusedski suggested.
Notably, Alcaraz has not been added to the mixed doubles draw at the US Open, an event that often serves as a low-pressure warm-up vehicle for returning players, adding another signal that New York may come too soon.
TennisDraw users have been monitoring Alcaraz's bracket position closely, with many reconsidering their US Open picks in light of this latest setback.
