“It’s been long…”, summarized Carlos Alcaraz this Friday in the US Open press room. And it is. Indeed, the four and a half months of absence of the Murcian have felt long for all of tennis, especially for him, the boy who left Barcelona on April 14 with a very long face and who now, back and apparently recovered from his right wrist ailment, smiles, expresses himself, and savors these preludes to his return to competition. It will be on Monday, against the Russian Roman Safiullin, and he is confident: “I came here with the feeling that I needed to compete, to train with these guys, to feel competition again… And this is a test.”
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Absent since the joint stopped him that afternoon at the Godó center court, the 23-year-old Murcian reappears after four months of uncertainty and discoveries; after all, he had never been away from the courts for so long and his injury, very troublesome for any tennis player, has blown up a season that had started wonderfully in Australia. There he closed the Grand Slam circle — the conquest of the four majors — and shortly after took another bite in Doha, until the action led to the clay court tour and all plans went awry. Nothing, however, that has diminished the mentality of a hungry competitor.
“The first month was tough, because I couldn’t do anything with my right arm, but at the same time I enjoyed it; I enjoyed being with my family and friends, being at home,” he introduced in his first appearance before the press. Then, however, those “intrusive thoughts” began to appear which are “very difficult to face,” because of training without a completely clear horizon, and that is why Alcaraz feared ending up missing the North American summer tour. He and his team planned the return for Cincinnati, but finally preferred to postpone it until New York, where he triumphed a year ago and also in 2022.
“And here we are,” appreciates the one from El Palmar, who despite the setback will not change his approach one bit. Beyond the logical fears, his style is non-negotiable, he says: “I haven’t changed anything in terms of technique [in hitting]. I just want to feel that I am myself, because that is important, so if I had had to modify something I wouldn’t have come here. I must maintain my identity and be myself, and do it with the hope that I will have a long career. Let’s see the usual Carlitos.”
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Favorable scenario
Without a doubt, the challenge of New York is huge. Although the Spaniard prioritizes going step by step and rediscovering his best version, no door is closed. “Playing five sets, after so much time out, is a challenge,” he admitted. “In terms of preparation and all that, it’s not the best time to come, but my team and I think I am ready. I have tried to do everything perfectly, both on and off the court; very long and intense training sessions to check how the wrist reacts. And we see that everything is going well. It’s time to come back. I think there is no better tournament to do it than the US Open, where I have always felt a lot of affection,” extended the world number three, today behind Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev.
As happened at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, he and the Italian (25 years old) will not meet in the draw. Sinner, winner two years ago, will not be able to compete due to a knee ailment; despite efforts made in recent dates — including several visits to a center in Turin — the medical recommendation has been to stop. This 2026 was expected to be a continuous duel between the two, but in the end the forecasts have been blown away and the last showdown refers to the Monte Carlo Masters final in April, when the Italian won comfortably. Now he is the one who is not here and the one returning is Alcaraz, clinging to a sustained improvement process that now proposes a definitive test: real competition.
“We won’t see each other in six or seven months, so it feels strange… I hope he recovers well and we see him soon on the court, in full form once again.” “I feel great. The injury has helped me realize that right now everything is in my head…”, he conveys; “so I have to trust my team and the people who tell me everything will be fine. I must give one hundred percent and try to play normally; to get away from that fear, so to speak.”
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