In April, when Carlos Alcaraz pulled out of the Barcelona Open, most expected him to return to Madrid within days. Instead, a troublesome wrist injury forced the former top seed to step away from both the clay and grass-court swing, leaving fans stunned. Now, a glimpse of his holiday has quietly sparked fresh hope as his road back to tennis may finally be taking shape.

In a recently viral clip, Carlos Alcaraz was spotted in Comporta, Portugal, enjoying some time away from the pressures of professional tennis. He spent the weekend with his group of friends as he continues his recovery from injury.

During his stay in his neighboring country, Alcaraz was also filmed playing beach football. Notably, the former world No. 1 was not wearing any visible protection on his injured wrist, offering fans another small glimpse into his progress.

The relaxed outing comes during an extended period away from competition. The 7-time Grand Slam champion has remained largely out of the spotlight since suffering the injury earlier this season.

At the moment, there is still no confirmed date for his return to competitive tennis. However, it is understood that Carlitos will remain sidelined for at least the next six weeks as he continues his rehabilitation.

After withdrawing from the SW19, attention has now shifted towards the North American hard-court season. The Canadian Open or the Cincinnati Masters are viewed as possible comeback events ahead of his US Open title defence for the Spanish.

Even before his trip to Portugal, Alcaraz made a public appearance in his home country. A few days earlier, he attended the Princess of Girona Foundation awards ceremony, where he openly spoke about the frustration of watching his peers competing without him.

“I’m watching the results from home, watching my rivals compete, the tournaments I wish I could be playing in but can’t,” he stated. His comments reflected the difficult reality of being forced to watch major events, including the trophy he won last year in 5 hours and 29 minutes, from the sidelines.

Despite being away from competition, Carlos has stayed closely connected to the sport. Last month, he attended the Madrid Open to watch his younger brother Jaime Alcaraz compete in the Under-16 tournament. 

And while De Quervain’s tenosynovitis in his serving hand has kept him off the court, several former players and sporting legends have continued to express confidence that he will make a successful return to tennis soon.

Jim Courier supports Alcaraz’s Grand Slam sacrifice for recovery

After Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the ongoing French Open, many believed his absence would be short-lived. The general expectation was that he would recover in time and make his return at the grass court Slam.

However, that comeback never materialized. In a surprising development, Alcaraz also pulled out of the entire grass-court season, a decision that resulted in a significant drop in live ATP ranking points.

Despite the immediate consequences, Jim Courier believes that Carlitos made the correct choice. “I think that Carlos is being very wise and being cautious with the wrist,” he said. “I think there are sadly some cautionary tales of players that have had their careers completely derailed by wrist injuries.”

The former world No. 1 then pointed to one of the most well-known examples in modern tennis. “Juan Martin Del Potro is the prime example of a player who was a champion and will always be a champion but as we look at what his career might have been, had he stayed healthy, will always wonder.”

Rafael Nadal, whose docuseries has launched recently, also backed the decision. “I think he has made the right decisions,” Nadal explained.

7-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe echoed similar concerns regarding Alcaraz’s condition. “I am much more concerned about the physical aspect. Carlos is as mentally tough as they come; he is at the level of Rafa, Roger, and Novak,” McEnroe added. 

While recent beachside footage suggests the recovery is progressing well for Carlos, the tennis world still waits for the day when Alcaraz will finally return to the court.