Carlos Alcaraz announcement made after pulling out of next tournament | Tennis | Sport

So far, he’s already missed the French Open, Wimbledon, and several ATP Tour events. The 23-year-old was finally due to return at next week’s Cincinnati Open but pulled out of the Masters 1000 event on Tuesday, casting doubts about when he would be able to return to competition, and whether he’ll be ready for the US Open at the end of August.

While Alcaraz’s immediate future remains uncertain, fans have been given some reassurance that the seven-time Major champion is nearing a return, as he will be back in Tokyo at the end of September for the ATP 500 event.

The Spanish superstar claimed victory at the Japan Open in 2025 and reportedly has a multi-year agreement to compete in the tournament. And the broadcasting and ticketing partner, WOWOW, has confirmed that Alcaraz is still in the field for this year’s edition.

The reigning champion appeared on a graphic alongside Ben Shelton, Kei Nishikori, Taylor Fritz, and Joao Fonseca in a new social media post about ticket sales. Last month, the Japan Open also noted that Alcaraz was still in the field in a post on their website.

“Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Lorenzo Musetti, Joao Fonseca, and Kei Nishikori have been joined by world No. 6 Ben Shelton and world No. 23 Arthur Fils. This means that the champions of this tournament from 2022 onwards—Fritz (2022), Shelton (2023), Fils (2024), and Alcaraz (2025)—will all be competing together in the 2026 tournament,” they wrote.

Although Alcaraz has already withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, which runs from August 13 to 23, there is still hope that he will be ready to compete in Flushing Meadows at the end of the month.

Alcaraz is also currently slated to represent Team Europe at the Laver Cup in London’s O2 Arena from September 25 to 27 before heading to Tokyo for his title defence.