A former coach of Serena Williams has offered a calm assessment of Carlos Alcaraz’s situation, insisting there is no cause for alarm during the Spaniard’s spell away from competition.

Some expected Alcaraz to return at the Cincinnati Open, which begins on 13 August, but his withdrawal from the Masters 1000 event was confirmed earlier this week. The 23-year-old has not appeared on tour since injuring his right wrist at the Barcelona Open almost four months ago.

That absence has also left open the question of whether he will be ready to defend his title at the 2026 US Open. A return from a lengthy injury break at a Grand Slam can be difficult, and the timeline remains uncertain.

Rick Macci, who has coached five players who went on to become world No 1, said he is not concerned by the latest setback. He made his view clear on his X/Twitter account, writing, “Everything with the Spanish Magician will be fine and is fine,” Macci wrote on his X/Twitter account.

He added, “His team knows best and that is more practice, recovery and rest. He will 100% know when he feels ready for pure combat and get knocked down and get off the mat.

“When he feels mentally he can win it, he will be in it. This is no red flag from the doctors bag.

“Being patient smart and wise is how gets back on track to win the prize. Carlos will play when he [is] 100[%] ready to run, sweat, rip and be steady.”

Macci expanded on that stance in an exclusive interview with Tennis365 last month, when he said Alcaraz “will not change anything” because of the injury and called the seven-time major winner “the best role model” for young players.

“He’s the Spanish magician, he holds the racket like a paintbrush, and he does a lot of interesting things with his hands and wrist,” the American said.

“And we could say this and that [about his technique and playing style], but listen, that’s his DNA. He’s an artist, he’s a virtuoso.

“This is how he plays — from the heart and from the soul. He’s not gonna change anything, and hopefully this will not be a big thing because let’s face it, his charisma, and his spirit… he is must-see TV.

“And he is the best role model for every junior tennis player; if you want to really see how good you can become, you can’t be afraid to fail when you’re a kid, and you’ve got to develop a complete game.”

Gael Monfils used his final Canadian Open appearance to answer critics in his own words, after another emotional stop on his farewell season.

The 39-year-old Frenchman announced in October last year that 2026 would be his final season on tour. In Montreal, he began with a 6-4, 6-4 opening-round win over Kamil Majchrzak, his first match since his last-ever Roland Garros defeat to Hugo Gaston in May. That victory was followed by a second-round exit, as Learner Tien beat him 3-6, 6-0, 3-6.

The Canadian Open has long been one of Monfils’ strongest events at Masters level. It is the tournament where he has recorded his best return in terms of matches won, with 25, and his best win percentage. He reached the semi-finals in Toronto in 2016 and in Montreal in 2019.

After his run in Montreal ended, Monfils posted a lengthy message on Instagram reflecting on the tournament, the crowd, and the reaction to his final months on tour. He reserved one section for those questioning his place in the game, writing: “the ones who keep explaining to me that it’s over.”

In the same note, Monfils thanked the tournament and the fans, and praised Tien after their match. He also made clear that he intends to finish his career on his own terms. As he wrote, “I’m not asking anyone’s permission to enjoy the last few months of a career I built myself.”

Monfils, whose career began in 2004, has remained one of the ATP Tour’s most popular figures thanks to his style and personality. He also reminded readers of the length of his career, saying: “I’ve played it with love for 36 years, 22 of them as a professional, and I’m going to leave it with love.”

His Canadian farewell closed with appreciation for the event and its supporters, and with a final thank you to Tennis Canada.

Carlos Alcaraz will not defend his Cincinnati Open crown in 2026, and there are also question marks over whether Jannik Sinner can take part in the event at Mason.

Last year’s final did not unfold as expected despite the marquee matchup. Sinner, affected by illness, never found his rhythm, and Alcaraz surged to a 5-0 lead before the Italian retired.

This time, the meeting will not happen. The defending champion has withdrawn, with his team opting against any risk because his right wrist is still not fully recovered.

Because the ATP Rankings operate on a rolling 52-week cumulative system, points earned at the 2025 Cincinnati Open will come off when this year’s tournament begins. Players can then replace them with points collected across the 2026 event.

Alcaraz earned the full 1,000 points last year, but none of those will be available for him to defend now that he is absent. That leaves him set to drop from 8,160 points to 7,160, allowing Alexander Zverev to move ahead to No. 2 on 7,700 points without needing to win a match.

Sinner’s position is different. He is still listed in the main draw, even though he is dealing with a knee injury. He drops 650 points, but remains comfortably atop the rankings and is assured of staying No. 1 until after the US Open, even if he suffers early defeats in Cincinnati and New York.

Elsewhere, Zverev and Terence Atmane are both defending 400 points after reaching the semi-finals in 2025, while Felix Auger-Aliassime, Holger Rune, Ben Shelton and Andrey Rublev each face 200-point defenses. Taylor Fritz is trying to improve on last year’s fourth-round showing, Rafael Jodar has only 50 points to defend, and Joao Fonseca reached the third round in 2025.

Novak Djokovic will also return after missing the last two editions. The three-time champion starts on 3,760 points and could move ahead of Auger-Aliassime if he wins a fourth title and the Canadian exits early.