Carlos Alcaraz Pulls Out of Cincinnati Open 2026, Targets US Open Return

World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the 2026 Cincinnati Open, delaying his return to competitive tennis as he continues recovering from a right wrist injury suffered during the Barcelona Open in April. Tournament organisers confirmed that the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion will miss the ATP Masters 1000 event, scheduled from August 13 to 23, where he was set to defend the title he won last year.

The 23-year-old Spaniard has not played since sustaining the injury, which forced him to withdraw from Barcelona and subsequently miss several major tournaments, including the French Open and Wimbledon. In recent weeks, Alcaraz had progressed from rehabilitation and strength training to full practice sessions, raising hopes of a comeback in Cincinnati. However, his team has decided that the tournament comes too soon in his recovery.

Alcaraz is now targeting a return at the US Open, the season's final Grand Slam, which will be held from August 30 to September 13. He will enter the tournament as the defending champion, making his fitness a major talking point ahead of the event. While he has resumed training, no final decision has been announced regarding his participation, with his recovery continuing to be monitored closely.

The withdrawal also has significant implications for the ATP rankings. Alcaraz will forfeit the 1,000 ranking points earned from last year's Cincinnati title and will later defend another 2,000 points at the US Open. This is expected to widen the advantage of World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, while Alexander Zverev, fresh from winning the Paris Masters and reaching his maiden Wimbledon final, continues to close the gap. Despite briefly regaining the World No. 2 ranking ahead of Zverev, Alcaraz is now expected to slip back to No. 3 following his absence from Cincinnati.