Carlos Alcaraz has expressed confidence that he can capture the US Open title despite returning to professional tennis after a four-month layoff caused by a right wrist injury. The 23-year-old defending champion will make his singles comeback on 30 August 2026 when the tournament begins with his first-round match against Roman Safiullin, marking his first competitive appearance since sustaining the injury at the Barcelona Open in April.
Alcaraz drew inspiration from the achievements of tennis greats who have won major championships while recovering from serious injuries.
So, it is possible [to win]. I think that many people have shown it. [Roger] Federer, [Rafa] Nadal, many people have shown that you can win a grand slam after having been injured for a long time or having had a very hard injury. So we're going to try to tie ourselves to that belief that we can do it too.
The Spanish player's season began with a historic milestone when he became the youngest man ever to complete a career grand slam following his triumph at the Australian Open. That achievement was followed by a run to the Monte Carlo final, but his return to Barcelona shortly afterward resulted in the right wrist injury that would sideline him for months. According to reports on the injury, the condition is described as tenosynovitis, a serious inflammation affecting the wrist.
The psychological toll of the extended absence proved as challenging as the physical recovery.
The first month was kind of difficult for me, because I couldn't do anything with my right arm. It was tough. But at the same time, I enjoyed my time. I enjoyed my time with family, with friends, staying at home. But once I started to practice a little bit, that I didn't know when I'm gonna start, [those] thoughts are really difficult to deal with, because I don't know if I'm gonna be ready for Cincinnati, for US Open, or I'm gonna miss the whole American swing. So those thoughts were really difficult to deal with. But finally, here we are.
Alcaraz's path back to competition was complicated by the absence of intermediate tournaments to rebuild his match fitness. He withdrew from the Cincinnati Open in early August, eliminating his final realistic warm-up opportunity before the US Open. The decision to skip both the French Open and Wimbledon, where he was also the defending champion, meant the US Open would be his first competitive test in nearly five months.
Why returning at a Grand Slam presents additional difficulty
The timing of Alcaraz's comeback creates a unique challenge: his first match back will be contested in the best-of-five sets format rather than the best-of-three sets used in most regular tour events.
Coming to the US Open, best-of-five for the first one, in such a long time, it's really challenging.Alcaraz only resumed hitting practice just over four weeks before the tournament, a compressed timeline that prevented the gradual return to competition that typically follows a lengthy injury.
Probably, in terms of preparation and everything, [it] is not the best time. But we, my team and me, believe that I'm ready. It wasn't an easy decision. I just did whatever it took to be ready. I just tried to do everything perfect on and off the court, to feel ready. Really long practices, really intense practices, just to see how my wrist is going to react on the practices and after that really long days. We saw everything [was] OK, everything [was] good with those practices, and we thought it's going to be the time to be back.
Tournament structure and seeding
Alcaraz enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed, a position that reflects his status as a seven-time Grand Slam champion despite his recent absence from competition. The draw places him in the bottom half of the bracket alongside Novak Djokovic, who is pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam title. The tournament's main draws are scheduled to commence on 30 August 2026, providing Alcaraz with a concrete date to target after his extended recovery period.
What happens next
Alcaraz's first-round encounter with Safiullin will be the immediate focus as he attempts to navigate the opening rounds while managing his wrist condition. His matches will be broadcast across multiple platforms, allowing fans to monitor his progress throughout the tournament. Success in the early rounds will be crucial in determining whether his confidence in his ability to win the title proves justified or whether the extended layoff proves too significant an obstacle to overcome.
Key Facts
- Alcaraz has not competed in singles since April 2026 due to a right wrist injury sustained at the Barcelona Open
- He missed the French Open and Wimbledon while recovering and withdrew from Cincinnati in August
- The US Open begins on 30 August 2026, with Alcaraz seeded No. 2 and facing Safiullin in the first round
- This will be Alcaraz's first match back in the best-of-five sets format used at Grand Slams
- He is a seven-time Grand Slam champion seeking to defend his US Open title
