Carlos Alcaraz has been forced to withdraw from the French Open due to a right wrist injury sustained during his first-round match at the Barcelona Open. The 22-year-old Spaniard, a two-time champion at Roland Garros, had been favoured to win his third successive title in Paris.
Alcaraz injured his wrist in a straight-sets victory over Otto Virtanen before withdrawing from the Barcelona tournament the following day. After further tests, he announced on social media: “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 to return to the court. This is a difficult time for me, but I am sure we will come out of it stronger.”
The injury is the latest in a series of setbacks for Alcaraz, who missed much of the 2024 clay-court season with a right forearm injury and withdrew from the Madrid Open last year due to leg injuries. This latest blow comes at a busy period in the calendar, just after he won the Australian Open to become the youngest man to complete the career grand slam.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner expressed support for his rival, saying: “Tennis needs Carlos. Tennis is a much better sport when he’s around.” Sinner also noted the sensitivity of wrist injuries, adding: “I do believe he’s going to come back stronger than before.”
Alcaraz now faces a race to be fit for Wimbledon and the grass-court season. Wrist injuries are particularly challenging in tennis due to the load on the joint, and returning too soon could lead to long-term problems.
In Madrid, top seed Sinner extended his winning streak to 18 matches by beating Benjamin Bonzi 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4. Cameron Norrie is the only British player left in the singles draws after a 6-2, 6-7(6), 7-6(5) win over Tomas Machac, while Katie Boulter lost 6-4, 6-4 to Jessica Pegula.
