Who are the biggest injury doubts before the US Open? Including Carlos Alcaraz, Serena Williams, Karolina Muchova

Saturday, 01 August 2026 at 18:00

With the US Open now just weeks away, several of tennis' biggest stars are racing against time to be fit for the year's final Grand Slam. Former champions, Grand Slam finalists and title contenders are all battling injuries, leaving major questions over who will actually arrive in New York ready to compete.

Carlos Alcaraz’s return in the coming weeks is one of the most anticipated moments after the seven-time Grand Slam champion spent months away from competition. The Spaniard will not have much time to build match rhythm before defending his US Open title, making his level in Flushing Meadows one of the biggest question marks heading into the tournament.

Recent Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova is another player generating concerns after stepping away from competition to undergo surgery following her defeat in her second Grand Slam final. The Czech player has said she expects to arrive in good physical condition for the US Open. Her preparation will be limited, while her participation at the Cincinnati Open remains uncertain.

Another name causing concern is none other than 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams. The American is targeting a wildcard for the US Open and hopes to compete in singles and doubles, but an injury already interrupted her Wimbledon comeback, where she was forced to withdraw from the doubles event. Now, she will need to prove she is physically ready for another demanding tournament.

How the big names look ahead of US Open

Player	Injury status	Expected return	US Open outlook
Carlos Alcaraz	Returning	Cincinnati	Likely
Holger Rune	Returning	Cincinnati	Likely
Matteo Berrettini	Fitness concern	Cincinnati	Uncertain
Lorenzo Musetti	Returning	Canadian swing	Likely
Serena Williams	Injury concern	Unknown	Doubtful/Uncertain
Paula Badosa	Injured	No confirmed event	Doubtful
Karolina Muchova	Recovering from surgery	Cincinnati	Likely
Jasmine Paolini	Fitness issue	Cincinnati	Likely

Players racing back for New York

Carlos Alcaraz injury update: One tournament to prepare for US Open title defence

Carlos Alcaraz hasn't played a competitive match in four months, leaving the defending US Open champion with just one tournament to prepare for his title defence. His comeback is one of the most anticipated moments in tennis, especially as he remains the biggest challenger to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. However, his first major test will come at the US Open, where he will attempt to defend his title without much competitive preparation.

The Spaniard has chosen the Cincinnati Open as his comeback tournament, meaning he will have only one event to build confidence and regain match rhythm before arriving in New York. Alcaraz enters as world No. 3 but with a significant number of ranking points to defend, making his US Open title defense an especially difficult challenge considering the limited time available before the tournament begins.

Current expectation: Cincinnati return before defending his US Open title.

Carlos Alcaraz aims to return in New York.

Holger Rune injury update: Nine-month absence finally coming to an end

Holger Rune has been away from competition for nine months and has not played an official match since October 2025. The Dane will make his return at the Cincinnati Open using his protected ranking, which will also serve as his first competitive test before the US Open.

Read also

After missing almost the entire 2026 season, the final months of the year will likely be focused on rebuilding confidence and proving he can once again compete at the highest level.

Despite his lack of match rhythm, Rune’s talent remains undeniable, and he could become one of the most interesting dark horses in New York. His current ranking means he could face a dangerous opponent from the opening round, creating a challenging path. In 2025, Rune lost in the second round against Jan-Lennard Struff and has never advanced beyond the third round at Flushing Meadows.

Current expectation - a tentative return in Cincinnati before doubts in New York.

Rune holding the trophy at the 2025 Barcelona Open

Holger Rune hasn't played for some time.

Matteo Berrettini: Another comeback test

Matteo Berrettini's biggest opponent has once again become his own body. He has shown throughout his career that, when healthy, he can still compete against the best players on Tour. However, injuries have repeatedly prevented the Italian from making a deeper impact in recent seasons.

After playing Challenger events during the clay-court swing, Berrettini produced an impressive run at Roland Garros, reaching the quarter-finals before retiring mid-match against Matteo Arnaldi, ending what looked like another opportunity for a deep Grand Slam run.

The Italian returned at Wimbledon, where he reached the third round after a notable second-round victory over Arthur Fils, but was eventually eliminated by Grigor Dimitrov. Another physical setback then forced him away from competition at the beginning of the hard-court season. Berrettini is expected to return at the Cincinnati Open after several weeks out, but questions remain about whether the 30-year-old can handle the physical demands of a long tournament before the US Open.

Current expectation: Will handle US Open return.

Players hoping surgery or rehabilitation pays off

Karolina Muchova: Surgery creates another question mark before New York

Recent Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova surprised the tennis world after announcing shortly after the final that she would undergo surgery. The Czech player later explained that the procedure was part of her plan and expressed hope that she would be ready for the US Open, with her return expected at the Cincinnati Open.

Muchova has developed a strong connection with Flushing Meadows in recent years, reaching the semi-finals in both 2023 and 2024 before making the quarter-finals last season.

She owns a remarkable 14-3 record in her last three appearances at the tournament, establishing herself as one of the most consistent players in New York. After suffering her second Grand Slam final defeat, Muchova will look to prove once again that she can compete for a major title.

Current expectation: Hoping surgery won't prevent another deep run in New York.

Karolina Muchova reached her second Grand Slam final at Wimbledon 2016, but lost to Linda Noskova.

Lorenzo Musetti: Searching for stability after another injury setback

Lorenzo Musetti is another Italian player who has struggled with injuries throughout the 2026 season. Physical problems have affected him at every Grand Slam event this year. At the start of the season, he reached the Australian Open quarter-finals before retiring during his clash with Novak Djokovic, and he later spent more than a month away from competition.

The former world No. 5 was also forced to miss Roland Garros and Wimbledon, accumulating more than two months away from the court. Musetti has played only seven tournaments this season, although he quickly began finding rhythm during his comeback at the DC Open, collecting several victories. The 24-year-old will defend a US Open quarter-final appearance, meaning he will need wins in New York to avoid continuing his recent ranking decline.

Current expectation: An early exit in New York.

Musetti returns the ball with his forehand

Lorenzo Musetti has been affected by injuries in every Grand Slam this season.

Paula Badosa: Another comeback interrupted by injuries

Paula Badosa has endured one of the most frustrating injury cycles in recent tennis, with repeated setbacks interrupting her attempts to return to her best level. Since winning her first WTA 1000 title at Indian Wells in 2021, the former world No. 2 has repeatedly found herself rebuilding confidence after physical problems.

The Spaniard missed Roland Garros and suffered an early Wimbledon exit, but she had started rebuilding momentum during the European clay-court swing. After Wimbledon, Badosa produced an impressive 11-2 record, including a title at the WTA 125 event in Bastad and a final appearance in Iasi, although she retired injured during that final.

She will miss both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati, meaning she currently has no confirmed tournament before the US Open. However, a wildcard opportunity at a smaller hard-court event could help her gain valuable match rhythm before New York.

Current expectation: Badosa gains valuable match rhythm before playing in New York.

The biggest question marks

Serena Williams injury update: Can the 23-time Grand Slam champion play the US Open?

Serena Williams wants one more US Open appearance—but first she has to prove her body can cope with another Grand Slam. Her return during the European summer was one of the biggest stories in tennis, with the 23-time Grand Slam champion making her singles comeback at Wimbledon. However, her return ended in disappointment after a first-round defeat against Maya Joint, and hopes of seeing her reunite with sister Venus Williams in the doubles event disappeared when an injury forced her to withdraw.

The reunion now appears to have been postponed until the US Open, where Williams is expected to receive a wildcard unless another setback prevents her return. The American last competed at Flushing Meadows four years ago, when she reached the third round before ending her professional career.

This time, the former world No. 1 could potentially compete in both singles and doubles, but everything depends on her physical condition.

Current expectation: Serena decides late to play singles.

Serena Williams clenches her fist celebrating a point during her final appearance at the 2022 US Open

Serena Williams retired from professional tennis at the 2022 US Open after reaching the fourth round.

Jasmine Paolini: Building momentum again after Wimbledon breakthrough

After a difficult year in terms of results, Jasmine Paolini produced encouraging signs during Wimbledon, reaching the quarter-finals before losing to Marta Kostyuk. However, her progress was interrupted shortly afterward when a physical issue forced her to withdraw from both the DC Open and the Canadian Open, choosing instead to take additional time away from competition.

Read also

The Italian is expected to return at the Cincinnati Open, where she reached the final in 2025, but she will arrive with pressure to find victories quickly. Cincinnati offers the perfect opportunity to answer some of the questions surrounding her fitness, especially in a tournament where she previously enjoyed one of the best runs of her career. Another strong performance on hard courts could help Paolini rebuild confidence before the US Open.

Current expectation: Cincinnati should determine whether she's ready for Flushing Meadows.

Valentin Vacherot: Can the Monaco breakthrough continue?

Valentin Vacherot finished the clay-court season in spectacular fashion, producing a remarkable run to the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters. However, after that breakthrough performance, the Monegasque player struggled with physical issues that affected his momentum, forcing him to miss part of the clay swing, including the Rome Open.

Since his defeat in Monte Carlo, Vacherot has managed only two victories in his last seven matches while dealing with fitness concerns. The return to hard courts could represent an opportunity to change the direction of his season.

Read also

The US Open will mark his first appearance in the main draw, a huge achievement considering that one year ago he was outside the top 250 and failed to qualify. With no points to defend until October in Shanghai, Vacherot still has a major opportunity to continue climbing the rankings during the North American swing.

Current expectation: Vacherot tentatively returns in New York.

Injuries have already shaped much of the 2026 season, and they could once again determine the outcome of the US Open. Over the next few weeks, every practice session and every comeback match will be watched closely as some of the sport's biggest stars race to be ready for New York.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

See author's posts

claps 0visitors 0

"I had quite some time to get used to the hard courts, so it’s not so rushed as it was last year" - Iga Swiatek outlines her short term goals as ranking drop looms