Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the 2026 Cincinnati Open as he continues to recover from the wrist injury that has kept him away from competition since April. The ATP Tour confirmed the decision Tuesday, ending hopes that the defending champion would make his long-awaited return at the Masters 1000 tournament in Ohio.
Alcaraz had entered Cincinnati as part of a planned comeback ahead of the US Open. Tournament organizers initially included him among a field led by Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton. However, the 23-year-old Spaniard has not recovered sufficiently to compete in the Cincinnati main draw, which begins August 13.
“We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to playing tournaments as soon as possible,” tournament director Bob Moran said in a statement. The withdrawal extends an absence that began at the Barcelona Open in April. Alcaraz has since missed several of the biggest tournaments on the calendar, including the French Open and Wimbledon.
Cincinnati would have provided his only scheduled competitive preparation before the US Open men’s singles tournament begins August 30 in New York. Alcaraz has not announced that he will miss the US Open, but his Cincinnati withdrawal raises further questions about whether he will be ready for the final Grand Slam of the season.
Returning directly at a best-of-five-set tournament would leave him without a competitive match in more than four months. The wrist injury interrupted what had been an outstanding start to the year. Alcaraz opened the season by winning the Australian Open, completing the career Grand Slam and becoming the youngest man to win all four major singles titles.
He has compiled a 22-3 record and won two ATP titles in 2026 despite playing his most recent match in April. The ATP Tour listed him as the world No. 2 when announcing his Cincinnati withdrawal. Alcaraz was due to defend 1,000 ranking points in Ohio after winning the 2025 Cincinnati title. He claimed the championship when Sinner was forced to retire from their final.
His absence removes one of the tournament’s leading attractions and eliminates the possibility of another Cincinnati meeting between the two biggest stars in men’s tennis. Sinner will now enter as the clear headline player in the men’s field. The Italian won Wimbledon earlier this summer and has been the dominant player at Masters 1000 level during the 2026 season.
The Cincinnati Open has not yet announced how Alcaraz’s place in the field will be filled. His withdrawal could allow the next eligible player into the main draw or create an additional opening for a qualifier or lucky loser, depending on when the draw is finalized. For Alcaraz, the immediate priority remains completing his recovery rather than rushing back before the US Open. His status for New York will now become one of the biggest questions in tennis over the coming weeks.
