Carlos Alcaraz’s return to competitive tennis has been delayed after the Spaniard withdrew from the 2026 Cincinnati Open, tournament organisers confirmed.
The withdrawal means the seven-time Grand Slam champion will be unable to defend the ATP Masters 1000 title he won last year. The Cincinnati Open is scheduled from August 13 to 23, with the US Open beginning on August 30.
Alcaraz has been out of action since suffering a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April, an injury that also forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old has stepped up his rehabilitation in recent weeks, progressing from strength and conditioning work to full training sessions. However, the Cincinnati tournament has come too soon in his recovery.
Alcaraz is now targeting a return at the US Open, where he will defend his title.
His withdrawal will cost him the 1,000 ATP ranking points earned for last year’s Cincinnati triumph, while he also faces the challenge of defending 2,000 points at the US Open.
The setback is expected to see him slip from world No. 2 to No. 3 in the ATP rankings, with Olympic champion Alexander Zverev set to move ahead after his recent strong performances.
