WHY CARLOS ALCARAZ’S WRIST INJURY THREATENS HIS 2026 FRENCH OPEN TITLE DEFENSE
Carlos Alcaraz is racing to be fit for the French Open. Discover why he’s prioritizing long-term health over his title defense in Paris.
Carlos Alcaraz is now racing against the clock to get fit in time for defending his French Open title next month. A former Grand Slam finalist has offered him some straightforward advice, urging caution.
Alcaraz is dealing with a wrist issue he picked up during the Barcelona Open. He’s openly considering whether he'll recover in time for Roland Garros.
Having already claimed seven Grand Slam titles, Alcaraz likely doesn’t want to miss the second major of 2026. But Greg Rusedski, a former US Open finalist, thinks he should be careful with his next move.
At only 22, Alcaraz needs to prevent any wrist injury from becoming a long-term setback. Rusedski suggests skipping the French Open might be the smarter path if there’s any doubt about the injury, especially since wrists are notoriously vulnerable for tennis players.
“He has to think long-term; this could be a 10-year career,” Rusedski explained on his podcast. “A serious wrist injury isn't something he can afford. Look at Juan Martin del Potro, one of the greats who never fully recovered from his wrist issues.”
He continued, “Take your time and wait until you’re completely ready. Don’t rush back. Honestly, I don’t think he cares about ranking points right now. Health is wealth.”
“The four majors define greatness. Carlos already has seven, just three shy of ten at such a young age, which is remarkable.”
Rumours surfaced during the Monte Carlo finals that Alcaraz wasn’t feeling great because of his wrist, maybe dealing with some minor annoyances. Those little aches and pains are part of the game. It was smart for him to withdraw from Barcelona to avoid making things worse.
“And if he misses the French, it’s really not the end of the world,” Rusedski added.
He also compared Alcaraz’s approach to tournament scheduling with that of world number one Jannik Sinner.
Sinner tends to space out events, while Alcaraz played back-to-back tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona before his injury cropped up.
“Look at Jannik Sinner: his schedule is well thought out, his preparation is meticulous, and he’s usually the first to arrive, fully ready. He’s had very few injuries because he manages his body well. But they’re different personalities.”
“Carlos likes to enjoy life, parties, and his boat, while Sinner is more reserved, focused on tennis and recovery. Sleep, relaxation, and time away from the court are key for the best players, and they balance that carefully. Without that balance, you end up with these niggles, pains, and injuries; it’s about finding that equilibrium.”
WHY DID 22 PLAYERS SUDDENLY WITHDRAW FROM THE 2026 ITALIAN OPEN MID-TOURNAMENT?
Discover the full list of injured stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, forced out of the 2026 Italian Open.
At the 2026 Italian Open, the number of players who have withdrawn or retired during matches has climbed to 22, spanning both the ATP and WTA competitions.
By midweek, 17 players had already exited the combined ATP/WTA 1000 event in Rome. Since then, an additional three men and two women have followed suit.
Before the draws were even announced on Monday, prominent names like Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper, and Marketa Vondrousova had pulled out. On the opening day of the women’s tournament, Tuesday, Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu also withdrew.
Amanda Anisimova, ranked sixth in the WTA, stepped back before her first match on Thursday due to a left wrist injury. Meanwhile, Victoria Mboko, who is ninth in the world, withdrew before playing on Friday because of a gastrointestinal illness.
Valentin Vacherot, the 16th-ranked player on the ATP tour, pulled out shortly before his scheduled second-round match against Marin Cilic on Friday, citing a foot injury.
Tomas Machac, holding the 41st spot in the men's rankings, also withdrew ahead of his second-round encounter with Daniil Medvedev after an impactful win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in round one.
Arthur Fils, ranked 17th, retired during his opening match against Andrea Pellegrino on Saturday, trailing 0-4, due to hip pain.
Here’s a rundown of the withdrawals on the ATP side: Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) was replaced by Sebastian Ofner; Taylor Fritz (No. 7) by Zachary Svajda; Valentin Vacherot (No. 16) by Martin Landaluce; Arthur Rinderknech (No. 24) by Aleksandar Kovacevic; Holger Rune (No. 40) by Damir Dzumhur; Gabriel Diallo (No. 46) by Alexander Blockx; Jack Draper (No. 50) by Hamad Medjedovic; Raphael Collignon (No. 68) by Alexandre Muller; Reilly Opelka (No. 74) by Aleksandar Vukic; Arthur Cazaux (No. 73) by Mattia Bellucci; Kamil Majchrzak (No. 76) by Roberto Bautista Agut; and Eliot Spizzirri (No. 92) by James Duckworth.
On the WTA side, Amanda Anisimova (No. 6) was replaced by Elena Gabriela Ruse from Romania; Victoria Mboko (No. 9) by Nikola Bartunkova; Marta Kostyuk (No. 15) by Ajla Tomljanovic; Emma Raducanu (No. 30) by Lilli Tagger; Marketa Vondrousova (No. 44) by Solana Sierra; Sonay Kartal (No. 56) by Zeynep Sonmez; Varvara Gracheva (No. 61) by Eva Lys; and Veronika Kudermetova (No. 70) by Petra Marcinko.
THE "REST OVER REPS" PLAN: WHY JANNIK SINNER IS SNUBBING HALLE FOR WIMBLEDON
After 23 consecutive wins, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner adjusts his schedule to target a Career Grand Slam and Wimbledon glory.
Jannik Sinner has already logged a heavy schedule this year, with deep runs in recent Masters 1000 tournaments keeping him on court against top-tier competition regularly. Given this demanding stretch, he’s taken a fresh look at his calendar and decided to skip the Halle Open, carving out a three-week break between Roland Garros and his Wimbledon title defence.
The 2024 Wimbledon champion won’t be heading to Germany for the grass-court event. That’s notable since Sinner claimed that Wimbledon crown in impressive fashion, overcoming two-time winner Carlos Alcaraz to secure his first major title away from hardcourts. That victory was his latest Grand Slam, following Alcaraz’s wins at the previous two majors.
After Roland Garros, where he seeks to complete the career Grand Slam, Sinner plans to recharge rather than pile on more tournaments before Wimbledon. Without Alcaraz in sight, he’s considered a favourite to maintain his remarkable run. His recent haul includes titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and, most recently, Madrid. Now, he’s setting his sights on Rome, his home turf, where he’s never clinched a win but is eager to continue an ambitious streak of Masters 1000 victories, aiming for a sixth in a row.
Post-Rome, he’ll take a week off before the French Open begins. In total, Sinner has played 23 matches over the last two months without tasting defeat. If he wants to lift the Rome trophy, he’ll need to notch six more wins, then potentially battle through seven more rounds in Paris. This demanding schedule partly explains his choice to forgo Halle.
As for the 2026 Halle Open, fans might be disappointed not to see the world number one, but the field remains strong. Heading the draw is Alexander Zverev, a local favourite who has yet to claim a grass-court title or even one on home soil. With Sinner out, this could be a prime opportunity for Zverev to break through.
The American players are also well represented. The U.S. hasn’t seen a finalist here since Mardy Fish in 2004, but Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton might be poised to change that, especially Fritz, who has already shown grass prowess with titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne last year.
Defending champion Alexander Bublik, who ousted Sinner on his way to victory and took down Daniil Medvedev in the final, will be back aiming to repeat. Alongside him, names like Andrey Rublev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe are also set to compete. The tournament runs from June 15 to 21, promising plenty of exciting tennis.
