Carlos Alcaraz will return to competitive tennis at the US Open after a four-month injury layoff, with the defending champion targeting another title in New York.
The Spaniard confirmed on Thursday that he will play the August 30 to September 13 tournament. He has not competed since withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in April because of a wrist injury.
Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon. He also sat out the North American hard-court tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati.
He initially planned to return in Cincinnati, where he won last year. However, he decided to give his wrist more time to recover.
Alcaraz has increased his workload in recent weeks. He also trained with Holger Rune in Murcia as he tested the wrist at higher intensity.
His return comes as the US Open announces a record $108 million prize purse for this year’s tournament.
The singles champions will each receive $5.5 million, a 10% increase from last year. It also represents the biggest prize for a Grand Slam singles champion.
The first-round prize will rise by 27% to $140,000. The USTA will also launch a $2 million Player Support Programme, split equally between male and female players.
The increase comes after leading players pushed the Grand Slams to give competitors a larger share of tournament revenue.
Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka led a media protest at the French Open and Wimbledon. Players limited their pre-tournament media appearances to 15 minutes.
