Carlos Alcaraz is set to make his long-awaited return to competitive tennis at the US Open, ending a more than four-month absence caused by a wrist injury as he aims to defend his title in New York.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion confirmed on Thursday that he will compete at the tournament after withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in April. His injury also forced him to miss the French Open, Wimbledon, as well as the North American hard-court tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati.

Alcaraz’s comeback even received a football-style announcement from transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano, who posted “Here we go!” on Instagram while confirming that the Spanish star would return at the US Open.

New York has a special place in Alcaraz’s career. He claimed his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2022, becoming the youngest player in ATP history to reach the world number one ranking.

Alcaraz had originally hoped to make his comeback at Cincinnati, where he won last year, but ultimately decided to give his wrist additional time to recover.

The Spaniard has steadily increased his training workload in recent weeks and recently practiced with Denmark’s Holger Rune in Murcia as he tested his wrist under greater intensity.

With his return now confirmed, Alcaraz will head to New York hoping to regain his best form and launch another US Open title defence.