Carlos Alcaraz is priced at 5/4 to successfully retain his Cincinnati Open title as he plots his return from a severe wrist injury which prevented his participation in the French Open and Wimbledon.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion has been out of action since April after sustaining a right wrist issue during the opening round of the Barcelona Open.
Alcaraz subsequently pulled out of the French Open, where he was the two-time defending champion, to recover in the hope he would be fit again for the grass-court season.
However, following further consultation with a specialist and his coaching team, the Spaniard decided to to withdraw from the grass-court swing at Queen's and Wimbledon.
Alcaraz's absence will extend to the Canadian Open, which is the next Masters 1000 event on the calendar at the start of August, but the 23-year-old is on the entry list for the Cincinnati Open, which commences on 13th August.
Alcaraz has lost significant ground to Jannik Sinner in the race to be world number one after the Italian successfully defended his Wimbledon crown by toppling Alexander Zverev.
While the Spaniard is eager to be fit for his US Open defence, Alcaraz is all too aware of the long-term repercussions if he rushes his return.
Wrist injuries are notoriously problematic for tennis players and the career of Dominic Thiem is one of the most high-profile cases where a wrist problem has derailed a player's career.
2020 US Open champion Thiem suffered a severe wrist issue in June 2021 which sidelined him for 10 months and although he was able to return to the professional tennis circuit and climb back into the world's top 100, the Austrian never recpatured the form he showcased prior to the setback.
Thiem was forced to retire prematurely at the end of the 2024 season and Alcaraz will be hoping to avoid a similar fate as he looks to prolong his career.
Should Alcaraz compete at the Cincinnati Open, he will be bidding to end Sinner's dominant form in Masters 1000 competitions.
The Italian has won all five of the top-ranked events so far this year and will be looking to surpass Novak Djokovic's record of most Masters 1000 titles in a season, which the Serbian achieved by claiming six in 2015.
Carlos Alcaraz odds to win Cincinnati Open
(Odds will display when markets are available).
