Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open because of a lingering right wrist injury, dealing another setback in his bid to return before defending his U.S. Open title later this month.
Tournament organizers confirmed the withdrawal Tuesday, extending the world No. 2's absence from competition to more than four months and raising fresh uncertainty over whether he will be ready for the year's final Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion has not played since the Barcelona Open in April.
Alcaraz defeated qualifier Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2 in the opening round but said he felt his wrist give way during the match.
Medical examinations later revealed the injury was more serious than initially believed, forcing him to pull out before his scheduled second-round match against Tomas Machac.
