Concern is mounting around Carlos Alcaraz as the 2026 season rolls deeper into summer with no concrete return date in sight. The seven-time Grand Slam champion has been sidelined since April 14, when he picked up a right wrist injury during his first-round victory at the Barcelona Open. He has not competed since, and sources close to the Spaniard, cited by Clay, have indicated that he is still training at only a very low intensity, a detail that has set alarm bells ringing across the tennis world.
Alcaraz had been targeting the Cincinnati Open next month as a potential comeback vehicle, according to Spanish outlet La Verdad, but that timeline looks increasingly optimistic. The US Open in late August remains the grand prize on the horizon, yet the lack of clarity around his progress has frustrated observers inside and outside the game.
Former world No. 7 Corrado Barazzutti, speaking to Italian website Fanpage, did not hide his bafflement. The veteran, who reached two Grand Slam semi-finals during his career, described Alcaraz as having become a mystery, admitting he had no inkling before Barcelona that a wrist issue was even present. He noted that the wrist is an especially delicate area for any tennis player, and that with practically nothing concrete made public, the situation remains deeply puzzling.
Alcaraz began 2026 ranked No. 1 and carried a remarkable 22-3 match record before the injury struck. He has since dropped to third in the rankings, with Jannik Sinner overtaking him following Monte Carlo and Alexander Zverev climbing to second after Wimbledon.
For fans eager to see the Spaniard back on court, patience is proving costly. TennisDraw users who backed Alcaraz deep in their US Open bracket picks may soon need to rethink their projections entirely.
