Carlos Alcaraz to miss Cincinnati as well – injury break lasts around four months

Impact on the US Open

The injury that has been accompanying Alcaraz for months now has significantly disrupted his season planning. His planned comeback has had to be postponed repeatedly. The original schedule for the North American hard-court season is also no longer realistic given this latest withdrawal.

From the player's camp itself, there have recently been conflicting signals about the length of his recovery. While reports of progress in rehabilitation sparked hope, the renewed withdrawal from Cincinnati suggested that his participation in the US Open, which begins in a few weeks, also remains in doubt.

The Italian-Spanish scene is following the developments with concern. Particularly at the US Open – a Grand Slam tournament that has in the past been the stage for several memorable performances by the Spaniard – his absence would be a severe setback, both sporting and in terms of ranking.

Ranking and consequences

Due to the additional break, Alcaraz is losing valuable world ranking points and is likely to drop several places. It is already foreseeable that he will be unable to make up for Cincinnati in the overall season race unless he returns to the tour soon.

Meanwhile, other players are moving up. At the Cincinnati tournament, attention is turning above all to the Czech Tomas Machac, who has frequently been mentioned in connection with Alcaraz's withdrawal in previous reports. He could take advantage of the moment and position himself within the wider group of favourites.

Who is moving up?

Overall, the situation remains unsatisfactory both sporting and scheduling-wise. Neither Alcaraz himself nor those around him have so far named a specific date for his return to the professional tour. It therefore remains unclear when tennis fans will be able to see the Barcelona native back on court.

For the time being, the bottom line is that Alcaraz must be patient – and his team must weigh up whether it makes more sense to start at the US Open or only at the later indoor tournaments in autumn. The Cincinnati case marks another setback in a season already shaped by injuries.

In sporting terms, the absence is significant in any case: Cincinnati, Ohio, is a key stop on the road to the US Open. Anyone missing out there loses not only points, but also match practice on the surface that will be used at the US Open.

For fans and observers, the only news for now is that Alcaraz must continue to watch from the sidelines. A turnaround is not in sight as long as there is no all-clear from the player's camp and no firm comeback date is announced.