Alcaraz Returns to Defend US Open Title as Sinner Pulls Out
Carlos Alcaraz will defend his US Open men's singles title after announcing his return from a right wrist injury on August 20, 2026. The world number three has been sidelined for over four months but confirmed he is ready to compete at Flushing Meadows, where the year's final Grand Slam begins next week. (US Open)
His timing is sharp and his path clearer. Jannik Sinner, ranked first in the men's field, withdrew from the tournament on August 21, citing a right knee injury that left him unable to compete. (US Open) Alexander Zverev, seeded second, now leads the draw in Sinner's absence. Alcaraz sits at three.
For Alcaraz, the comeback caps a frustrating year. His last competitive appearance came at the Miami Open in March, where Sebastian Korda upset him in straight sets. A wrist injury then kept him off court through the spring and summer hard-court swing. Seven major titles — four Grand Slam singles crowns and three others across doubles and team competitions — sit on his resume, and he turns 24 during the tournament fortnight.
The US Open's mixed doubles championship, now in its second year of a revamped format, returns during Fan Week, which runs from Sunday, August 23 through Saturday, August 29. The condensed two-day event, scheduled for August 25–26, uses a fast scoring system: four games to win a set (before the final), no advantage scoring — meaning no deuce points, first point after 40-40 wins the game — and a 10-point match tiebreak instead of a third set. (US Open)
The 2026 edition has expanded to 29 team entries, up from 14 a year earlier. (USTA via Facebook) Six teams gain direct entry based on combined singles rankings, with the rest coming through wildcards or an eight-team qualifying round. Among the confirmed pairings: Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, who return after a strong debut, and Iga Swiatek with Casper Ruud, the 2025 finalists looking to go one better. (US Open) (US Open)
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is listed to play mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu — the same partnership announced on the 2025 entry list. (US Open) The British former US Open champion and the Spaniard form one of the tournament's marquee draws. An earlier BBC report had linked Alcaraz with Serena Williams for the mixed doubles, but the official US Open entry list names Raducanu as his partner. (BBC Sport)
The mixed doubles revamp, introduced last year, was designed to pull singles stars into the format. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori — the only dedicated doubles specialists in the field — initially criticised the shift as "profoundly wrong" but ended up winning the title and $1m (£740,000) in prize money. They return again as the sole doubles specialist pairing in the draw. (BBC Sport)
For tennis fans, the week ahead offers a double helping: the mixed doubles sprint on Tuesday and Wednesday, then the main draw's first serves. Alcaraz, fit again and free of Sinner in the bracket, will hope both end with him holding a trophy.
