Carlos Alcaraz is expected to make his long-awaited return from injury at the Cincinnati Open next month.
The Spaniard has been sidelined with a wrist injury since April, forcing him out of the French Open and Wimbledon this year.
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Some questioned whether he would be fit to play again in 2026, although those questions were quickly answered when Alcaraz’s name appeared on the Cincinnati Open entry list.
So, with Alcaraz’s return all but confirmed, how well has he actually played at the Cincinnati Open over the course of his career?
Carlos Alcaraz is the defending champion at the Cincinnati Open
Alcaraz has played the Cincinnati Open every year since making his debut in 2021.
The Spaniard won his two qualifying matches to reach the main draw five years ago, but failed to reach the second round, losing to Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets.
A year later, Alcaraz won his first main draw matches in Cincinnati, defeating Mackenzie McDonald and Marin Cilic en route to the quarter-finals, where he lost to Cameron Norrie.
In 2023, the seven-time Grand Slam champion reached his first Cincinnati Open final.
Fresh off his thrilling five-set win over Novak Djokovic to claim the Wimbledon title, Alcaraz prepared to do battle with the Serb once more.
But after winning four matches in a deciding set to reach the final, Alcaraz couldn’t win another to take the title, as he lost 7-5, 6-7, 6-7, in the Championship match.
He then lost back-to-back matches in Cincinnati for the first time in his career, falling at the first hurdle against Gael Monfils in 2024.
Returning with a point to prove, Alcaraz qualified for his second Cincinnati Open final in 2025.
There, he became champion after just 23 minutes, as Jannik Sinner retired due to illness.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Cincinnati Open record (12-4)
- 2021 Cincinnati Open Q1 [WIN] vs Thiago Monteiro, 6-2, 6-3
- 2021 Cincinnati Open Q2 [WIN] vs Ilya Ivashka, 6-3, 6-4
- 2021 Cincinnati Open 1R [LOSS] vs Lorenzo Sonego, 3-6, 6-7
- 2022 Cincinnati Open 2R [WIN] vs Mackenzie McDonald, 6-3, 6-2
- 2022 Cincinnati Open 3R [WIN] vs Marin Cilic, 7-6, 6-1
- 2022 Cincinnati Open QF [LOSS] vs Cameron Norrie, 6-7, 7-6, 4-6
- 2023 Cincinnati Open 2R [WIN] vs Jordan Thompson, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
- 2023 Cincinnati Open 3R [WIN] vs Tommy Paul, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3
- 2023 Cincinnati Open QF [WIN] vs Max Purcell, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
- 2023 Cincinnati Open SF [WIN] vs Hubert Hurkacz, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3
- 2023 Cincinnati Open F [LOSS] vs Novak Djokovic, 7-5, 6-7, 6-7
- 2024 Cincinnati Open 2R [LOSS] vs Gael Monfils, 6-4, 6-7, 4-6
- 2025 Cincinnati Open 2R [WIN] vs Damir Dzumhur, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
- 2025 Cincinnati Open 3R [WIN] vs Hamad Medjedovic, 6-4, 6-4
- 2025 Cincinnati Open 4R [WIN] vs Luca Nardi, 6-1, 6-4
- 2025 Cincinnati Open QF [WIN] vs Andrey Rublev, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
- 2025 Cincinnati Open SF [WIN] vs Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 6-3
- 2025 Cincinnati Open F [WIN] vs Jannik Sinner, 5-0 (RET)
A fierce competitor, Alcaraz would have loved a chance to play Sinner at his best, and might get that opportunity this year.
Sinner hasn’t lost a match at the Masters 1000 level this season, having won the first five events of 2026.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, has only played three Masters series tournaments, reaching the semi-finals of Indian Wells and the third round of the Miami Open, before losing to Sinner in the Monte Carlo Masters final.
The Spaniard will need to be at his very best if he is to take down the world number one in Cincinnati, and you have to wonder if his body will allow him to perform at that level, given that it will be his first tournament in several months.
This year’s Cincinnati Open is scheduled to begin on Thursday, August 13.
The Cincinnati Open is Carlos Alcaraz’s fifth best Masters 1000 tournament
Alcaraz will travel to Cincinnati as one of the pre-tournament favourites, but how does his record in Ohio compare to the other eight Masters 1000 events?
The 23-year-old has a better win % at Indian Wells, the Monte Carlo Masters, the Madrid Open, and the Italian Open.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Masters 1000 record
| Event | Titles | Win/Loss record | Win % |
| Indian Wells | 2 (2023, 2024) | 24-4 | 86% |
| Miami Open | 1 (2022) | 14-5 | 74% |
| Monte Carlo Masters | 1 (2025) | 9-2 | 82% |
| Madrid Open | 2 (2022, 2023) | 15-2 | 88% |
| Italian Open | 1 (2025) | 7-1 | 88% |
| Canadian Open | 0 | 2-2 | 50% |
| Cincinnati Open | 1 (2025) | 12-4 | 75% |
| Shanghai Masters | 0 | 5-2 | 71% |
| Paris Masters | 0 | 5-5 | 50% |
But Alcaraz has played better in Cincinnati than he has in Miami, Canada, Shanghai, and Paris.
Carlos Alcaraz’s win % at Masters 1000 events
- T-1. Madrid Open – 88%
- T-1. Italian Open – 88%
- 3. Indian Wells – 86%
- 4. Monte Carlo Masters – 82%
- 5. Cincinnati Open – 75%
- 6. Miami Open – 74%
- 7. Shanghai Masters – 71%
- T-8. Paris Masters – 50%
- T-8. Canadian Open – 50%
The event isn’t Alcaraz’s best, nor is it his worst.
Whatever his record is now, he’ll be keen to improve upon his 75% win rate when he makes his return to tennis in Cincinnati.
