Return after four months: Carlos Alcaraz's plan is Cincinnati

The comeback tennis fans have eagerly awaited now has a target date. Carlos Alcaraz is targeting his long-awaited return to the court at the Cincinnati Open in August after recovering from a right wrist injury. The Spaniard has not played since suffering the injury at the Barcelona Open in April, missing five significant tournaments — including two Grand Slams, Roland Garros and Wimbledon — during the worst stretch of his career.

Positive news has emerged regarding the state of the injury. According to Spanish newspaper La Verdad, Alcaraz's wrist is now "completely healed"; the Cincinnati Open, running from August 13-23, will serve as his single warm-up event ahead of the US Open.

The player's status at both tournaments adds to the pressure. The world No. 3 is the reigning champion at both Cincinnati and the US Open, with 3,000 ranking points to defend at each event.

A cautious approach nevertheless persists. According to an earlier report from La Verdad journalist Javier Varela, Alcaraz is still training "with a very limited workload" and his participation in Cincinnati is "not guaranteed"; it is emphasised that the player's priority remains respecting the timeline set by his team and avoiding any risk that could jeopardise the rest of the season.

Signals from different sources also paint a mixed picture. Serena Williams' coach Rennae Stubbs said on a podcast that she had heard positive information about his chances of playing in Cincinnati; however, he was seen wearing a wrist guard during the World Cup final, which raised concern among some fans.

Alcaraz's absence has also had a major impact on the tour. In his absence, Jannik Sinner has established undisputed dominance on the ATP Tour, winning all five Masters 1000 titles and Wimbledon since March.

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