Carlos Alcaraz confirms US Open comeback after four-month wrist layoff

Carlos Alcaraz confirmed he will return to the US Open at Flushing Meadows later this month, posting on X that he was ready to resume competition after a four-month absence.

The seven-time grand slam champion had been sidelined since April with a right wrist injury and missed the defence of his French Open title and Wimbledon before withdrawing from the Cincinnati Open at the start of August. Alcaraz used football transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano’s signature phrase to announce his comeback, enlisting Romano to convey the news.

“Here we go,” Alcaraz said on X along with the United States flag. Football transfer specialist Romano said on Instagram: “Here we go! Carlos Alcaraz will return to the tour at the US Open after spending four months sidelined with a right wrist injury. A wrist problem forced Alcaraz to miss the defense of his French Open title and Wimbledon before he pulled out of the Cincinnati Open at the start of August, but the 23-year-old will step back onto the court at Flushing Meadows later this month.”

Tournament organisers also announced an overall prize fund of $108m (approximately £80m), described in the release as the biggest in the sport’s history and a 20 per cent increase for the second consecutive year. The singles champions will each receive $5.5m (approximately £4m) and first-round prize money has been raised to $140,000 (more than £100,000).

Organisers will hope the higher prize money and other measures reduce tensions following recent player protests. A group of leading players, including both world number ones Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, has been involved in a behind-the-scenes campaign dubbed Project RedEye over the last 18 months that has focused on prize-money levels and other grievances.

At the French Open those players limited their pre-tournament media to 15 minutes each and followed the same approach at Wimbledon despite welcoming a 20% increase in prize money; they abandoned plans to continue their protest during the first week of Wimbledon after discussions. Alongside the New York prize-money announcement, the slams jointly confirmed plans to create a grand slam player advisory council.

The slams said the new council would serve as “the forum for direct communication, feedback and collaboration between the grand slams and players”. The body will launch following the US Open, which runs from 30 August to 13 September, with interested players invited to apply and with a remit that includes discussions about contributions to player welfare.