Carlos Alcaraz will miss the French Open after confirming that a wrist injury has forced him to bring his clay court season to a premature end.
The world number two sustained the injury during his opening match against Otto Virtanen at the Barcelona Open earlier this month. Although he won that match, the Spaniard withdrew from the tournament soon after and has not played since.
Further medical tests have now led Alcaraz and his team to take a more cautious approach. He will not compete at the Masters 1000 event in Rome and will also miss Roland Garros, where he was due to defend his title.
Después de los resultados de las pruebas realizadas hoy, hemos decidido que lo más prudente es ser cautos y no participar en Roma y Roland Garros, a la espera de valorar la evolución para decidir cuándo volveremos a la pista. Es un momento complicado para mí, pero estoy seguro de… pic.twitter.com/U6PhjtXnBX
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) April 24, 2026
“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 court,” Alcaraz said in a social media statement. “This is a difficult time for me, but I am sure we will come out of it stronger.”
Some heartbreaking news as Carlos Alcaraz, our 2024 and 2025 champion, will not be able to defend his title at Roland-Garros 2026 due to a wrist injury 💔
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) April 24, 2026
Wishing you all the best in your recovery Carlos, we’ll miss you!#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/llrEn9CCJA
The withdrawal is a major blow for the 22-year-old, who had won the last two editions of the French Open. His absence also removes one of the main storylines of the clay court season, particularly after his recent rivalry with Jannik Sinner had become the dominant narrative at the top of the men’s game.
Alcaraz defeated Sinner in last year’s Roland Garros final and had also beaten Alexander Zverev in five sets to win the title the previous year. This time, however, he will not have the chance to pursue a third consecutive crown in Paris.
Sinner, who recently reclaimed the world number one ranking after beating Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo final, will now be viewed as the leading favourite for Roland Garros. The Italian also has an opportunity to strengthen his position at the top of the rankings, with Alcaraz unable to defend significant points in both Rome and Paris. The ATP said Alcaraz was defending 1,000 points in Rome and 2,000 at Roland Garros.
For Alcaraz, the priority now shifts from titles to recovery. The decision to withdraw from two of the biggest events of the season underlines the seriousness of the problem and the determination of his team not to risk a longer setback during a demanding part of the calendar.
