Alcaraz is back. The defending US Open champion returns to competition after five months sidelined with a wrist injury. He missed both Wimbledon and the US Open last year, watching from the sidelines while others claimed the biggest stages.
Now he's chasing history. Winning back-to-back US Open titles would cement his status among tennis' elite. At 21, Alcaraz already has two Grand Slams on his resume. The wrist injury threatened to derail his entire season, but he insists the recovery is complete.
"Feeling great," he told reporters.
The fitness question lingers for everyone watching. Alcaraz hasn't played meaningful matches since April. That's a massive layoff for someone who thrives on the hard courts of Flushing. He'll need matches to shake off the rust. The draw won't give him easy ones.
Still, Alcaraz carries the momentum of dominance. Before the injury sidelined him, he was playing some of his best tennis. If his wrist holds up, he's the player everyone else is running from. The field is deep this year, but defending a title you won while healthy is different from defending one while dodging whispers about your injury history.