Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, dashing hopes of an imminent return after his right wrist injury, first sustained at the Barcelona Open in April, has kept him sidelined for close to four months. The Spaniard had briefly appeared on the tournament’s main draw entry list, which had led many to expect he would use Cincinnati as preparation for the US Open.

Cincinnati Open tournament director Bob Moran acknowledged the withdrawal, saying Alcaraz is doing all he can to return to competition and that the tournament looks forward to welcoming him back in the future. No timeline for his comeback has been confirmed.

Wrist Recovery Not Yet Match-Ready

Although doctors issued a positive assessment of Alcaraz’s progress back in July, his medical team has since determined that the wrist is not yet ready to withstand elite ATP-level play, according to Yahoo Sports. The Spaniard is reported to be back in training, but not far enough along to compete in Cincinnati.

Tennis commentator Ben Rothenberg told The Spun he would assume Alcaraz is also likely to miss the US Open, reasoning that returning cold from a significant injury into a best-of-five Grand Slam format would be an enormous ask.

Fan and Expert Reaction

The withdrawal drew a wave of concern across social media. Several fans argued that Alcaraz should not attempt the US Open under these circumstances, with one widely shared post reasoning that a player simply does not restart their season at a best-of-five tournament. Tennis legend Boris Becker expressed disappointment at the news for both Cincinnati and Alcaraz personally.

Others took a more pragmatic view. Tennis Updated noted on X that the cautious approach Alcaraz and his team have taken since April is the right call, adding that he faces a straightforward choice: enter the US Open without any warm-up match, or sit out the remaining three Grand Slams of the year. Randy Walker of Vero Beach Futures suggested that if Alcaraz does want to play the US Open, the Winston-Salem Open beforehand would give him a viable warm-up option.

TNT Sports reported that Andy Roddick reacted positively to footage of Alcaraz back on court training, though he also noted that wrist injuries are particularly delicate and that a full, stronger comeback takes time.

A Strong 2026 Season Cut Short

Before the injury struck, Alcaraz was enjoying one of his best-ever stretches. He won the Australian Open in January for his seventh Grand Slam title, completing the career Grand Slam in the process. He also shone at the Qatar Open and reached the Indian Wells semifinals for a fifth consecutive year, matching a feat only previously achieved by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

His momentum stalled at the Miami Open, where he fell to Sebastian Korda, and a Monte Carlo final loss to Jannik Sinner followed before the Barcelona injury ended his season prematurely.

As reigning Cincinnati champion, his absence leaves a notable gap in the draw.