Carlos Alcaraz will not defend his French Open title in 2026 after the world No. 2 withdrew from Roland Garros, sending shockwaves through the tennis world just days before the tournament began.
The sudden withdrawal immediately sparked questions about one of tennisâs biggest stars at the year’s second Grand Slam, and whether his injury could impact the rest of Alcaraz’s 2026 season.
The trouble began April 14 at the Barcelona Open, when Alcaraz required treatment on his right wrist and forearm during a first-round win. He left the tournament the next day. Two weeks later, he had pulled out of the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, and on April 24 he confirmed his Roland Garros withdrawal.
Alcaraz’s Wrist Injury Ends His French Open Defense
“After the results of the tests carried out today, we have decided that the most prudent thing is to be cautious and not participate in Rome or Roland Garros, while we assess the situation to determine when we can return to the court,” Alcaraz posted on social media, as cited by The Sporting News. “This is a difficult time for me, but I am sure we will come out of this stronger.”
The diagnosis is tenosynovitis, that is, inflammation of the connective tissue surrounding the tendons, an overuse injury common in racquet sports. The exact severity of the injury has not been publicly disclosed.
On May 19, Alcaraz confirmed his absence extends further still. He is skipping the Queen’s Club Championships and Wimbledon, where he is a two-time champion, according to ESPN. Alcaraz won back-to-back Wimbledon titles in 2023 and 2024, both against Novak Djokovic, before losing to Jannik Sinner in last year’s final.
“My recovery is going well and I feel much better, but unfortunately I’m still not ready to be able to play,” Alcaraz wrote. “They are two really special tournaments for me and I’ll miss them a lot. We keep working to return as soon as possible!”
Alcaraz’s Absence Reshapes Roland Garros for Sinner
The setback arrives at a jarring moment for a player riding historic momentum. In January, Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open to become the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the career Grand Slam, at 22 years and 272 days old, according to his Roland Garros official player profile. He holds seven Grand Slam titles, including two French Opens, two Wimbledons, two US Opens, and one Australian Open.
This is also the third consecutive clay-court season in which Alcaraz has been sidelined by injury during the spring, according to The Athletic, a pattern that can only draw scrutiny as his team calibrates his schedule going forward.
The clear beneficiary is world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The 24-year-old Italian has four Grand Slam titles. The French Open is the only major Sinner still needs to complete the career Grand Slam. Last year he held three championship points against Alcaraz in a 5-hour, 29-minute final, the longest in Roland Garros history, before losing in five sets. Daniil Medvedev acknowledged the changed picture without adjusting his own approach. “I hope he comes back as fast as possible,” Medvedev said Friday, as cited by HITC.
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