World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed withdrawals from the Rome Masters and French Open due to his ongoing right wrist injury from the Barcelona Open, following his earlier Madrid Open pullout. The Spaniard targets a grass-court comeback ahead of Wimbledon.
Alcaraz sustained the wrist strain in his first-round Barcelona Open match against Otto Virtanen last month, leading to his Madrid withdrawal on April 17. Now, with Rome starting May 6 and the French Open from late May, he has ruled out the rest of the clay season to prioritize recovery.
Former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski voiced concerns on his podcast, noting a 4.5-week absence and the challenge of switching from clay to grass: "It’s a bit disconcerting... Will he have enough time to prepare for Wimbledon?" Alcaraz, who started 2026 strongly with Australian Open and Qatar titles, has struggled lately—semifinal loss to Daniil Medvedev in Indian Wells, second-round exit to Sebastian Korda in Miami, and Monte Carlo final defeat to Jannik Sinner (6-7, 3-6), costing him the No. 1 ranking now held by Sinner.
Sinner, fresh off Madrid Open victory, offered support: "Tennis needs Carlos... I send him a speedy recovery." Their rivalry and respect were evident post-Monte Carlo. With Alcaraz sidelined, Sinner eyes Rome.
