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Carlos Alcaraz could be set to return to tennis during the American hardcourt swing, but will he be able to return to the player he was before his injury?
The Spaniard has missed five months of action since injuring himself at the Barcelona Open in April, but he has appeared on the entry lists for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.
However, Alcaraz is reportedly still only conducting light training on court and he was spotted at the World Cup Final wearing a brace on his wrist.
Even if he does manage to return for the final Grand Slam of the year at the US Open, WTA star Christina McHale has expressed one concern for Alcaraz at the Flushing Meadows event.
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Speaking on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast, the former World No 24 said: “Where’s his fitness level at too? Playing best-of-five in New York, where it’s really hot, having not played for so many months, not competed.
“Will we be surprised if all of a sudden he comes out playing great? No, because that’s what he’s capable of. But I think most likely he’ll have to work himself into the tournament.”
McHale suffered a similar injury to Alcaraz during the 2025 season, so she is well aware of the work the World No 3 is putting in behind the scenes.
“Well, I actually had that TFCC (Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex) injury last year. Thankfully I did not need surgery but I had sprained it and it required so much more PT than I ever imagined,” she said.
“I’d never had many injuries before. So, I can imagine he had a surgery and like and it’s tough because it’s you, you know, you start to come back and then you might start compensating and then all of a sudden you start feeling a little bit something elsewhere or you’re so eager to get back on court that you maybe do too much. So, it’s such a fine line and a balance.”
Alcaraz and his team have reportedly earmarked the Cincinnati Open for a return for some time, so fans should only truly worry if he withdraws from the Masters event.
There is plenty riding on the event for Alcaraz, as he is the defending champion at the North American tournament. That means he is defending 1000 ranking points at the event, which could be crucial for him returning to the top two of the rankings once again.
Alcaraz lost his World No 2 status after Alexander Zverev reached the final of the Wimbledon for the first time in his career.
