(VIDEO) “The weeks are flying by”: Carlos Alcaraz training progress signals comeback after wrist injury setback

The 7-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz continues his recovery process after confirming his absence from Wimbledon. The World No. 2 is in Murcia, Spain, working intensely to return to the courts as soon as possible, although there is still no clear date for his comeback.

It has now been two months without the Spaniard competing on tour. His last appearance came at the Barcelona Open in the first round, with a victory over Otto Virtanen (6–4, 6–2). However, he did not appear for his second-round match against Tomás Machac due to complications with his wrist.

Shortly afterwards, Alcaraz confirmed that he would miss the entire clay swing due to the wrist injury, losing the opportunity to defend his French Open title. This opened the door to a near-perfect clay swing for Jannik Sinner, who won three Masters 1000 tournaments in a row, although he eventually faded in the second week of Roland Garros.

While initially Alcaraz aimed to return for the grass swing, with Wimbledon as his target, he quickly changed his plan and extended his recovery period. With no intention of taking unnecessary risks and prioritising long-term health, Alcaraz opted to skip Wimbledon, something confirmed more than a month ago.

There is still little clarity regarding the exact extent of Alcaraz’s injury. Recently, Andre Agassi himself commented on the lack of transparency surrounding the issue, calling for more clarity from the player’s camp regarding the nature of the wrist problem, which has so far remained undisclosed.

There is no confirmed return date for Alcaraz, but a recent video already shows him working, running, and training without protection on his right wrist, something that was unthinkable just a few weeks ago. It appears the former World No. 1 continues building his physical condition in order to return at full competitive level.

For now, with his withdrawal from Wimbledon confirmed, Alcaraz has at least one more month before he is expected to appear again in official competition. His participation in the US hard-court swing is possible, although it remains unclear whether he will play any tournaments before the US Open or whether his return will take place directly in Flushing Meadows.

In the recent video, he is seen working with his fitness coach Alberto Lledó, and the absence of protection on his right wrist appears to be positive news. His coach’s comments also suggest significant physical progress:

“The weeks are flying by! I can't keep up with you anymore,” Lledó wrote on Instagram. “Well done Carlitos, you set the industrial zones on fire like Rocky!”

For Alcaraz, the North American summer will be important if he wants to avoid a significant drop in the rankings. While he appears far from a realistic fight for World No. 1 during the rest of the season, maintaining his position in the top tier of the rankings will still be crucial.

During the US summer, he will defend titles in Cincinnati and the US Open, a total of 3,000 ranking points. Considering the points he will lose after the grass swing absence, Alcaraz will need to accumulate points to remain at least inside the top 5 and arrive in a strong position for the final part of the season.