Carlos Alcaraz to miss French Open and Italian Open with wrist injury

Madrid: Carlos Alcaraz has said he will not take part in this year’s French Open as he continues to recover from a wrist injury, ending hopes that the Spaniard would defend his Roland Garros title next month.

The 22-year-old also confirmed he will miss the Italian Open after medical tests on his right wrist led to the decision. In a message posted on social media, Alcaraz said, “We have decided that the most prudent thing to do is to be cautious and not participate in Rome or Roland Garros.”

He added, “This is a difficult time for me, but I'm sure I will come out of it stronger,” while saying that he and his team would keep assessing his recovery before deciding when and where he would return to competition.

Alcaraz picked up the injury during the opening round of the Barcelona Open last week. He defeated Otto Virtanen in that match but later withdrew from the tournament. Concerns over his fitness had already grown after he announced on April 17 that he would also miss the Madrid Masters.

Earlier this week, Alcaraz had indicated that he was prepared to sit out the Paris Grand Slam if that was the better option for his long-term future in the sport. “I'd rather come back maybe a bit later, but in great shape, than come back quickly and risk making this injury worse,” he said on Monday. “I have a long career ahead of me, so I'm not afraid to miss what I have to miss in order to recover as well as possible. I hope it's nothing serious, but I need to fully recover if I don't want this to cause me problems in the future.”

Second Grand Slam absence since 2021 debut

It will be only the second time Alcaraz has missed a Grand Slam tournament since making his main-draw debut at the 2021 Australian Open. The first came in 2023, when he withdrew from the Australian Open because of a hamstring injury.

Alcaraz is the two-time defending French Open champion, having won the title in 2024 and 2025. Last year, he saved three championship points against Jannik Sinner in what was described as the longest French Open final in history.

His absence could open the door for Sinner, who has never won the French Open. Alcaraz had lost the world number one ranking after being beaten by Sinner in the Monte Carlo Masters final on April 12, and he is currently ranked second in the world.

Despite the setback, Alcaraz has enjoyed a strong season so far. He became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam when he won the Australian Open in January. He has compiled a 22-3 record this season and also claimed a title in Doha.

This year’s French Open is scheduled to run from May 24 to June 7.