The anticipation is palpable among tennis fans worldwide: Carlos Alcaraz is set to return to the courts after an absence that has completely shaken up the competitive landscape of the ATP circuit. The young Spanish prodigy, just 23 years old and already with seven Grand Slam titles to his name, is preparing to choose between three tournaments for his highly anticipated return to competition.
Alcaraz injured himself in mid-April during his first-round victory at the Barcelona Open, suffering an injury to his right wrist that quickly turned out to be much more serious than initially anticipated. The world number 2 was forced to miss not only the remainder of the clay-court season — including his title defense at Roland Garros — but also the iconic grass courts of Queen's and Wimbledon, much to the dismay of fans and circuit officials. During the first few weeks, he even had to wear a cast and was forced to limit his training to just his left hand, a situation that alarmed the entire tennis community.
THE 2026 WORLD CUP IS EXPERIENCED WITH LEGO
O MUNDIAL 2026 VIVE-SE COM A LEGO
In recent days, however, a video posted by Alcaraz himself on social media has ignited hope: the Spaniard is finally seen hitting forehands with his injured hand, a clear sign that recovery is very close to the final stage. This moment was immediately celebrated by fans, but also warranted caution from experts like Prakash Amritraj, a commentator for Tennis Channel, who emphasized the importance of not rushing the return. “I think we have to agree with Alcaraz and his team's cautious approach, especially at a stage in his career where he has already achieved almost everything imaginable at this age,” Amritraj stated, highlighting that “even at 80% of his abilities, he believes he can beat practically any opponent, but he is thinking about the future, which is the most important thing.”
The prolonged absence of Alcaraz has shifted the balance of power at the top of world tennis, with the Spaniard losing ground to Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic in the battle for supremacy in the ATP ranking. The next phase of the circuit will be crucial: with the end of the grass season, the focus now turns to the short European clay court season (Sweden, Switzerland, Croatia, Austria, and Portugal), but especially to the North American hard court swing, which kicks off on July 27 with the ATP 500 in Washington and the ATP 250 in Los Cabos, Mexico.
According to Spanish journalist Javier de Diego, it is precisely these two tournaments—Washington and Los Cabos—that are at the top of the options for Alcaraz's return, depending on the progress of his recovery in the coming weeks. If the coaching team believes he is not yet at 100%, the plan B will be to postpone his return to the Canadian Open (Toronto), a Masters 1000 tournament taking place from August 3 to 10. This will be followed by the Cincinnati Open, also a Masters 1000, which precedes the US Open, where Alcaraz will face the tough task of defending the title he won in 2023.
Amritraj himself emphasized the importance of Alcaraz playing a few matches before the US Open, stating: “We want to see him competing for another 10 or 15 years, maybe more, so he is doing what needs to be done. I just hope he can play a few matches before New York.”
The return of Carlos Alcaraz promises to shake up the circuit and bring back the excitement and electrifying talent of the young Spaniard. The coming weeks will be crucial to understand if his wrist is fully recovered and what stage will host his much-anticipated comeback. One thing is certain: the tennis world is eagerly awaiting the champion's return, in a race against time to be in top form for the US Open and defend the prestigious trophy at Flushing Meadows. If the signs of recovery are confirmed, the Spaniard could reignite the fight for the top of the rankings and rekindle the rivalry with Sinner, Djokovic, and company, in a season finale that promises to be absolutely explosive.
YOU CAN NOW FOLLOW THE WORLD CUP WITH ALL THE INFORMATION – HERE
Discover more from Apito Final
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
