Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open due to a persistent wrist injury, raising serious concerns about whether he will be fit to defend his US Open title when the final Grand Slam of the year gets underway on August 30.
The withdrawal is a significant blow for the Spaniard, who has been sidelined since April, when the same injury forced him out of his home tournament in Barcelona. The extended absence has already cost him dearly this summer. He was unable to defend his French Open crown at Roland Garros, and he also missed Wimbledon, where he had won the title in consecutive years and would have been chasing a third straight championship on the grass.
Despite the lengthy layoff, Alcaraz has held on to the world No. 2 position, a testament to the depth of points he had banked before the injury struck. Cincinnati tournament director Bob Moran expressed support for the player, noting that everyone around the situation knows Alcaraz is doing everything he can to return to competition as quickly as possible.
Last year in Cincinnati, Alcaraz claimed the title after Jannik Sinner withdrew ahead of the final. He then rode that momentum all the way to a second US Open title shortly afterward.
If there is a silver lining, it is that Alcaraz may still have a potential warm-up window available. The Winston-Salem Open begins on August 23, giving him one last opportunity to get competitive matches under his belt before Flushing Meadows.
TennisDraw users have consistently listed Alcaraz among their top bracket picks for the US Open, and many will now be reconsidering those selections carefully.
