The North American hard court tour will lose one of its main figures. Carlos Alcaraz will not participate in the Cincinnati Masters 1000, a tournament scheduled for August 13 to 23, due to wrist problems that have kept him away from competition since April.
The announcement was made by the organization of the competition, which confirmed the Spaniard's withdrawal through an official statement.
“We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to competing in tournaments as soon as possible,” said tournament director Bob Moran. “We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to Cincinnati in the future.”
The absence in Cincinnati is added to the one already announced for the Montreal Masters 1000, so Alcaraz continues without a confirmed date to return to the circuit.
The Spaniard's last official match was played on April 14, when he beat the Finn Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2 in the round of 32 of the Conde de Godó Tournament.
Four months away and preparation interrupted
Signs had emerged over the past few days pointing to a possible comeback in Cincinnati. Alcaraz was seen training outdoors in Murcia with Pablo Martínez, a player ranked 620th in the ranking, in a session held at the Club Arena in Alicante and followed by numerous fans.
However, the evolution of the injury has not been enough to compete in the tournament that was to serve as preparation for the final stretch of the season.
The Spaniard's inactivity is now approaching four months and has prevented him from competing in several important events on the calendar. Among the absent tournaments are the Madrid and Rome Masters 1000, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Despite this long period without competing, Alcaraz continues to be ranked number 2 in the world ranking.
Uncertainty ahead of the US Open
The new resignation increases doubts about his presence at the US Open. Cincinnati was considered the main competitive test before the last Grand Slam of the season, so its loss complicates the scenario.
The fact that the US Open is played in the best of five sets fuels questions about when the Spaniard will be able to return to official competition.
The Cincinnati tournament statement also expressed its desire to have the player again in future editions and recalled his status as champion of the competition in 2025.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz's entourage maintains the complete recovery of the right wrist as a priority before setting a return schedule. The extension of the absence keeps world tennis pending the physical evolution of the Spaniard, whose last official appearance continues to be last April in Barcelona.
