​Carlos Alcaraz has been out of action for almost three months after sustaining a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April. The Spanish star has already missed a string of high-profile events, including the ATP Masters 1000 stops in Madrid and Rome, as well as the four majors—Roland Garros in Paris and Wimbledon in London. Recent developments have heightened fears that his comeback could be delayed again, as his name was not listed on the player entries for the 2026 National Bank Open in Montréal.
Initially, experts anticipated a recovery period of a couple of months, but Alcaraz remains sidelined as he approaches the fourth month of absence after being diagnosed with right-wrist tenosynovitis. The setback has meant he has already forfeited 4,800 ranking points, with the potential for further losses if this layoff continues to prolong.
There have been signs of renewed training intensity from the 23-year-old, who has been seen ramping up his physical work without the wrist brace that was a staple during the early stages of his rehabilitation. Nevertheless, the latest update from the National Bank Open on Thursday has added a layer of uncertainty to his timeline, as Alcaraz again did not appear on the tournament’s entry list.
The Montréal field is stacked with elite competitors, including top contenders such as Jannik Sinner, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alexander Zverev, and the defending champion Ben Shelton, among others. The lingering question remains: when will Alcaraz be medically cleared to return and rejoin this dynamic cohort?
Amid the growing unease about his schedule, Alcaraz offered a glimmer of encouragement by posting footage of his on-court training on Instagram, captioning it, “On the right path”—a translation of his Spanish words—hinting that his recovery is progressing positively. In the video, he appears to be working with a wrist bandage and an unstrung racket frame, a setup that could help him refine stroke mechanics and perform safer warm-up routines through shadow swings. However, the post stopped short of providing a definitive date for his return.
Currently ranked World No. 2, Alcaraz faces the risk of slipping further as Alexander Zverev, who has closed the gap, continues to climb toward him. With 8,160 points in the live rankings, Alcaraz sits behind Zverev’s 7,890 points, who is making notable progress while competing in Wimbledon semifinals. The Spaniard also carries the heavy task of defending 3,000 points during the North American hard-court swing, having claimed titles at both Cincinnati and the US Open in the previous season. As the calendar moves toward the final Grand Slam of 2026, Alcaraz will aim to regain full fitness and return to one of the sport’s most demanding portions of the year, all while taking the necessary precautions to ensure a safe and sustainable comeback. The path back to elite form will be watched closely by fans and analysts alike as the tour heads into a crucial stretch of the season.