Carlos Alcaraz missed more than four months this season due to a wrist injury, not competing between Barcelona and the US Open. That time away came off the back of a memorable 22-3 start to his season, including a major triumph at the Australian Open.
How would the 23-year-old’s game look upon his return? Alcaraz has won 10 of his 11 matches since beginning his comeback at Flushing Meadows, picking up right where he left off.
According to an Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis, there is a clear reason why: Alcaraz has been excelling on return despite the time away.
For many players, one of the trickiest parts of returning from a layoff is the return. The stars of the ATP Tour blast their delivery at high speeds, and often with plenty of spin and pinpoint accuracy. Picking up those serves is far from easy.
But Alcaraz has been sharp, with his numbers even exceeding his typical performance, which consistently ranks near the best in the world.
Alcaraz's Return Games Won
| Time Period | Return Games Won |
| Since Return | 32.9% |
| 2026 | 31.7% |
| Career | 31.1% |
In 11 matches since his return, Alcaraz has won 32.9 per cent of his return games, which is better than his rate for the entire 2026 season (31.7%) and his career overall (31.1%).
Alcaraz leads the ATP Tour this season in return games won at 31.7 per cent, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
The ATP No. 1 Club member has broken serve at least twice in all 11 of the matches he has played since the start of the US Open. He has won more than two return games in all but one of those matches, which was a 7-6(4), 6-4 victory in the Tokyo final against Jiri Lehecka.
There have been no “bad return days” for the World No. 3, who has consistently put pressure on his opponents, earning 108 break points across the 11 matches. That is an average of nearly 10 break points per match.
In Tokyo, where Alcaraz won his first title since Doha in February, he averaged four service breaks per match. The Spaniard won 36.4 per cent of his return games.
Alcaraz's Return Stats Since Return
| Stat | Percentage |
| Return Games Won | 32.9% |
| First-Serve Return Pts Won | 35.8% |
| Second-Serve Return Pts Won | 54% |
| Break Pts Converted | 44.4% |
The scary thing for the rest of the ATP Tour is that Alcaraz is still working his way back to form.
“I’m really happy about it. A tough week,” Alcaraz said after claiming glory in Tokyo. “I didn’t find my best level, but I did find the good solutions, and I think that is what matters at the end. Playing the most important points the best you can.”
To put Alcaraz’s recent return performance in perspective, only two players on record have won at least 33 per cent of their career return games: Guillermo Coria (35.2%) and Rafael Nadal (33.4%). Alcaraz has never won more than 32 per cent of his return games in a full season, but he is at 32.9 per cent since the US Open.
That makes his return games something to continue to keep an eye on in the coming weeks, starting with the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the penultimate ATP Masters 1000 event of the season.
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