CARLOS Alcaraz will not return to Roland Garros this year to defend his French Open title due to an injury in his right wrist that forced him to withdraw from last week’s Barcelona Open.
The 22-year-old was gearing up to launch a bid for a third successive title on the clay in Paris, but injured himself during a straight-sets first-round victory over Otto Virtanen in Catalunya 11 days ago.
He withdrew from the tournament a day later.
“After the results of the tests carried out today, we have decided that the most prudent thing to do is to be cautious and not participate in Rome or Roland Garros as we wait to evaluate the progress so we can decide when we return to court,” Alcaraz said in a statement posted on social media on Friday.
“This is a difficult time for me, but I am sure we will come out of it stronger.”
The Murcia-born maestro defeated German star Alexander Zverev in 2024 before overcoming arch-rival Jannik Sinner last year with a scarcely-believable comeback 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-2) victory, the longest French Open final in history and a match hailed by many as one of the greatest of all time.
His long-time adversary Sinner, who recently leapfrogged the Spaniard to return to the world number one spot, said Alcaraz’s absence would be a blow to the spot.
“I think what’s most important is to say that, first of all, tennis needs Carlos,” the Italian said.
“Tennis is a much better sport when he’s around. For me, personally it’s nice when he’s around. It makes me look also in the draw and see the matches in a different way, even though if I would face Carlos it would always be in the final.
“I do believe he’s going to come back stronger than before. But injuries are always tough, especially a wrist. There’s certain areas of our body that are very sensitive. The wrist, we saw with also other players in the past, that they can complicate our lives. So I hope he’s going to come back and he will not have any further injuries.”
Earlier this year, Alcaraz became the youngest-ever male player to complete a career Grand Slam, breaking an 87-year-old record set by Don Budge in 1938, with a three sets to one victory over the great Novak Djokovic.
The latest setback casts doubt on Alcaraz’s participation in the upcoming grass-court season, including Wimbledon in late June and early July.
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