Carlos Alcaraz will not be heading to Mason, Ohio this August, as the reigning Cincinnati Open champion has officially withdrawn from this year's tournament due to the right wrist injury that has sidelined him since the Barcelona Open back in April.
Alcaraz claimed his first Cincinnati title in 2025 in memorable fashion, with Jannik Sinner retiring during the first set of their final showdown. Defending that crown was always going to be a tall order given how long the Spaniard has been away from competitive tennis, and the news of his withdrawal confirms the worst for fans hoping to see him back on court before the US Open.
Cincinnati Open tournament director Bob Moran expressed his support for the seven-time Grand Slam champion, saying the tournament knows Alcaraz is doing everything possible to return to competition and that they look forward to welcoming him back in the future. Italian player Mattia Bellucci has been slotted in as his replacement in the draw.
Alcaraz is not alone in missing what will be the 125th edition of the men's Cincinnati Open, which runs at the Lindner Family Tennis Center through August 23. Alexander Bublik, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and Sebastian Korda have also pulled out of the ATP draw. On the WTA side, Emma Raducanu is among four withdrawals, while both Jack Draper and Holger Rune remain on the entry list but face significant doubts over participation due to their own injury concerns.
The Cincinnati Open serves as the final big event before the US Open, making Alcaraz's absence particularly significant for the race to New York. TennisDraw users tracking the Cincinnati bracket will need to rethink their title picks with the defending champion officially out of the picture.
