Former world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz has been absent from competition for 2 months after retiring from his Barcelona Open due to severe right-wrist injury. It not only derailed the Spaniard’s clay-court campaign but also forced him to miss the entire grass-court swing, leaving fans anxiously awaiting updates. And now, a fresh wave of optimism now surrounds Carlitos, with encouraging reports suggesting his long-awaited on-court return could be edging ever closer.

According to Spanish news outlet RNE Deportes, the upcoming week could prove to be a decisive one in the Spaniard’s recovery journey. Alacarz is scheduled to undergo an important medical review in Barcelona with Dr. Ángel Ruiz-Cotorro.

The assessment could determine whether the 7-time Grand Slam winner is finally ready to resume on-court activities. Reports also suggest that if everything progresses positively, the 22-year-old will begin a short period of readaptation training. After that, he could return to hitting tennis balls once again on the court.

Dr. Cotorro is one of the most respected figures in Spanish tennis medicine. He serves as the Head of Medical Services for the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation and has also been the icon, Rafael Nadal’s long-time personal doctor.

There was additional encouragement for Carlos Alcaraz’s supporters this Friday. Carlitos shared a training video on social media that appeared to signal further progress.

In the footage, he was seen exercising alongside physical trainer Alberto Lledó. Notably, he was not wearing the protective brace on his right wrist.

The Spaniard had been using the brace consistently since mid-April following his diagnosis. Seeing him train without it naturally sparked optimism among his fans regarding his recovery timeline.

Earlier this week, Spain’s Davis Cup captain and former world No. 3 David Ferrer also provided an update on Alcaraz’s condition. “Well, calm. Reassurance that everything is going well,” Ferrer told AS. 

“The important thing is that Carlos recovers one hundred percent and day by day. You don’t have to think much more. It is an injury that must be taken care of and the good thing is that Carlos is mentally very good and is in good hands.”

And as Carlos Alcaraz continues managing his battle with tenosynovitis, the uncertainty surrounding his return remains one of tennis’ most closely followed storylines in recent times, and many are still waiting to see when the Spaniard will finally step back onto the court.

When will the Spaniard finally return to competitive action?

Despite the positive signs over the past couple of weeks, Alcaraz has not yet revealed a specific timeline for his return. However, there is growing belief that he could make his comeback during the American hard-court season leading to the US Open, which begins in early August.

The 7-time Grand Slam champion has already confirmed his withdrawal from the grass court Slam. This year’s SW19 runs until July 13, meaning he will miss another major event during his recovery.

As a result, questions continue to surround exactly when fans can expect to see him competing again. Spanish tennis icon Rafael Nadal recently expressed confidence in his compatriot’s ability to overcome the setback. “Carlos will return from the injury, he’ll return strong, because he’s too good for it to be any other way.”

However, American tennis icon Andre Agassi offered a more critical perspective while speaking on the ‘Big T podcast’. “It would be really helpful if he or someone close to him clearly explained the exact nature of his injury, because at this point, we can only speculate.”

As of now, if Carlos Alcaraz’s recovery continues progressing smoothly without any setbacks, the Montreal Masters which is starting from August 2, appears to be the most likely stage for the former World No. 1’s return. 

With the timeline increasingly pointing toward a hard-court comeback, the tennis world now waits eagerly for the Spaniard’s long-awaited return to competitive action.