The world number two has not played since April and will miss the final major tuneup before the U.S. Open, where he is defending champion.
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Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, the tournament announced Tuesday, as he continues to recover from a right wrist injury sustained in April.
The 23-year-old Spanish player has not competed since pulling out of the Barcelona Open on April 15, when he injured his wrist during a match. He is managing tenosynovitis, a condition in which fluid accumulates in the sheath protecting a key tendon in the wrist.
The Cincinnati Open, an ATP and WTA 1000 event, begins August 13 and runs through August 23. It serves as the final major tuneup before the U.S. Open, which begins August 30. Alcaraz is the defending champion at both tournaments.
Alcaraz had begun hitting tennis balls in earnest for the first time since April, according to the tournament statement, but the Cincinnati event will come too soon for his continued rehabilitation. His withdrawal from Cincinnati also raises questions about his participation in the U.S. Open, where he is scheduled to defend his title.
The wrist injury has significantly affected Alcaraz's 2026 season. In addition to missing Cincinnati, he has been absent from multiple tournaments, including Wimbledon and the French Open, where he was the defending champion after winning in 2025.
Tournament director Bob Moran said in a statement: "We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to playing tournaments as soon as possible. We wish him the best with his recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to Cincinnati in the future."
Alcaraz won his seventh Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, becoming the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam. The world number two remains sidelined as he works toward full recovery from the ongoing wrist condition.
The two-time Wimbledon champion will miss the grass-court swing, including Queen's, as he recovers from a right wrist injury sustained in April.
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