Sawt Falasteen - Alcaraz to return for US Open title defence

"I'm back," the seven-time Grand Slam champion said in a video posted on social media. "Here we go."

The Spaniard has not played since withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in mid-April with a right wrist injury, missing both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Alcaraz became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam in January with his triumph, at age 22, at the Australian Open.

He added the ATP hard court title in Doha in February.

But after withdrawing in Barcelona he pulled out of tournaments in Madrid and Rome before withdrawing from Roland Garros, where he was the two-time reigning champion.

He also missed Wimbledon, where rival Jannik Sinner prevailed for the second year in a row on the London grass, beating French Open winner Alexander Zverev in the final.

Zverev had moved into second in the world rankings ahead of Alcaraz after Wimbledon, but Alcaraz has since regained the No. 2 spot ahead of the German.

Alcaraz had been slated to return for this week's hard court tournament in Cincinnati, and when he withdrew it sparked fears he wouldn't be ready to defend his title at Flushing Meadows.

Until this year Alcaraz had missed just one Grand Slam since making his main draw debut at the 2021 Australian Open, missing Melbourne in 2023 with a hamstring injury.

Q.Najjar--SF-PST