A Spanish tennis legend has said Carlos Alcaraz “trained at 55% last week” as he discussed his compatriot’s chances of playing at the 2026 US Open.
Alcaraz has been absent from the tour since he sustained a right wrist injury during his first round win at the Barcelona Open in April.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion is reportedly suffering from tenosynovitis — an inflammation of the tendon sheath in the wrist.
The Spanish superstar missed both Roland Garros and Wimbledon earlier this summer before he pulled out of the Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati.
It is unclear whether Alcaraz will be ready to defend his title at the 2026 US Open, which will get underway on 30 August.
Alcaraz holds an outstanding 22-3 record in 2026, with the former world No 1 having won his first 16 matches of the season before losing to Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semi-finals.
The 23-year-old started the year by winning his first Australian Open title, which made him the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.
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Alcaraz secured the Qatar Open title in February, while he was a runner-up to Jannik Sinner at the Monte Carlo Masters in April — which was the last event he completed.
Emilio Sanchez, a former world No 1 in doubles who reached a career-high singles ranking of seventh, shared some information about Alcaraz’s training ahead of the US Open.
In an interview with Sky Sport Italia in Santa Margherita di Pula, Sanchez said: “I know he trained at 55% last week. If he’s back to 100%, we could see him at the US Open.
“I don’t know if he should wait until the fall, but then maybe he’ll go, play [the US Open], and surprise everyone like he’s done his whole life.”
During a career spanning from 1984 to 1998, Sanchez won 15 singles titles and 50 doubles titles — including three Grand Slams in men’s doubles.
The 61-year-old is the elder brother of Arantxa Sanchez Vicario — a WTA world No 1 and four-time major champion.
Sanchez founded the Sanchez-Casal Tennis Academy in Barcelona in 1998 with his former doubles partner Sergio Casal.
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