Carlos Alcaraz advances to third round at the US Open, New York; plans voluntary breaks from tennis

US Open 2026: Carlos Alcaraz recovers to reach third round, plans to take more time away from tennis voluntarily

The Spanish player missed four and a half months of competitive tennis due to a wrist injury and was taken to four sets in his second match back.

Carlos Alcaraz is the centre of attention at the 2026 US Open , not only to see if the Spanish tennis ace can defend his title, but also to see how he fares in a comeback after a long-term wrist injury.

The 23-year-old last competed in mid-April but appears to be gaining momentum in his men’s singles campaign in New York as he advanced to the third round with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Portugal’s Jaime Faria on Wednesday (2 September).

The seven-time Grand Slam champion won the 2026 Australian Open at the start of the season but skipped the next two Grand Slams due to an injury in his playing right wrist.

After the come-from-behind win, Alcaraz said he is hitting with his forehand as “normal”, just as in his first-round match against Roman Safiullin two days earlier.

“I know once I step on the court, I’ve just got to go for it every time. I’ve got to feel normal,” he told the media after the match with Faria. “I have to hit like I was hitting before the injury. I’m feeling great. There is no reason to be afraid and not hitting normal .”

Alcaraz beat Safiullin in three sets, while the victory over Faria needed four – something the two-time US Open champion took as an opportunity to test his comeback form.

“I realised that playing four sets was really good for me to test everything physically ,” he said. “To test my body, how I feel, and how I’m going to feel tomorrow after this match.”

US Open 2026: Carlos Alcaraz victorious on men’s tennis return: “I’m just really happy I was able to compete again”

Carlos Alcaraz in numbers: All titles, stats and records of the Spanish tennis superstar

Novak Djokovic (SRB) v Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)

This Men’s Singles Gold Medal Match between Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) v Novak Djokovic (SRB), took place on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Roland-Garros, on 04

Novak Djokovic (SRB), won the Gold, with a final score 7:6, 7:6.

After missing four and a half months due to the wrist injury, Alcaraz said he will now plan for voluntary breaks during the tennis season, which can see a player competing in as many as 40 weeks of top-level tournaments around the globe.

“Obviously I don’t want to have this break,” he said. “But in the future, I’m going to take some breaks, some long breaks. Maybe not four months, but one month, two months, missing some tournaments , because it’s impossible to play them all.”

For now, however, Alcaraz remains focused on defending his title at the US Open. He will next play Wu Yibing of the People’s Republic of China in the Round of 32.

24 August - 13 September

Tennis | US Open | New York | United States