Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the forthcoming French Open due to a wrist injury that has forced him to reassess his immediate schedule. The decision follows medical evaluations carried out to determine whether he could compete at Roland Garros, where he had lifted the trophy last year.
The Spaniardโs issue traces back to the Barcelona Open, where his campaign was cut short. He required treatment during his match against Otto Virtanen and was unable to continue in the tournament, eventually pulling out before his next appearance. The setback has now ruled him out of both Rome and Paris, two key stops on the clay-court calendar.
โAfter 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 and Roland Garros, while we wait to assess the evolution to decide when we will return to the court. It’s a complicated moment for me, but I’m sure we’ll come out stronger from here,โ Alcaraz wrote on his X handle.
No Sincaraz party in Rome and Paris
His absence reshapes the draw at Roland Garros, where he was set to return as defending champion after last yearโs marathon final win over Jannik Sinner. That contest stretched beyond five hours, underlining the intensity of their emerging rivalry.
The withdrawal also halts another potential meeting between the two at a major. Their most recent Grand Slam clash came at the US Open final, where Alcaraz prevailed. Since then, Sinner has gained the upper hand, including a victory over the Spaniard at the Monte Carlo Masters, a result that helped him rise to the top of the world rankings.
With Alcaraz stepping aside, Sinner will enter the French Open as the top seed. The development could also ease the path for Novak Djokovic, who has found both players difficult opponents in recent majors. In the meantime, the French Open is scheduled to run from May 24 to June 7.