Carlos Alcaraz will miss Wimbledon this year after sustaining a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April. The injury, diagnosed as severe tenosynovitis—inflammation of the tendon sheath—has ruled him out of the majority of the clay court season, including the French Open, and the entire grass court season.
Alcaraz's Withdrawal Statement
Announcing his withdrawal from Wimbledon in May, Alcaraz said in a statement: 'My recovery is going well and I’m feeling much better, but unfortunately I’m still not ready to compete, which is why I have to withdraw from the grass-court swing at Queen’s and Wimbledon. They are two truly special tournaments for me and I will miss them a lot. We’ll keep working to come back as soon as possible!'
The 23-year-old has not undergone surgery on his right wrist, opting instead for a rehabilitation process. The injury involves no bone damage, but a wrist injury to a player's dominant hand is considered one of the most challenging for a tennis player due to the power and explosiveness required in nearly every shot.
Impact and Recovery Timeline
No exact return date has been officially confirmed, although a return for the American hard court swing in August is possible if everything goes according to plan. It remains uncertain whether the injury will have any long-term impact on Alcaraz's game, but there is currently no reason to suggest he will not make a full recovery.
Alcaraz, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, won Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024. He will have to wait for another opportunity to add to his collection.
Jannik Sinner Becomes Favourite
Alcaraz's absence has made Jannik Sinner the overwhelming favourite to win Wimbledon this year. The 24-year-old Italian, who defeated Alcaraz in last year's final, is the defending champion and has enjoyed a sensational first half of the season. Sinner completed an historic sweep of the first five ATP Masters 1000 tournaments of the year—Indian Wells, Miami Open, Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Open, and Italian Open—becoming just the second man in history, after Novak Djokovic, to win all nine Masters 1000 titles.
However, Sinner has yet to add to his four Grand Slam titles this season. He was beaten in the semi-finals of the Australian Open by Djokovic, and at the French Open, he astonishingly threw away a two-set lead in his second-round match against world No. 56 Juan Manuel Cerundolo after being hampered by stifling heat.
