Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws From French Open With Right Wrist Injury

Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time defending French Open champion and world No. 2, said he will miss next month’s French Open because of an ongoing wrist injury.

“Reigning two-time French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz has said he will not play at this year’s tournament as he recovers from a wrist injury”

Al Jazeera

Multiple outlets tied the decision to the results of tests on his right wrist, with Alcaraz posting that “After 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 or Roland Garros, while we assess the situation to determine when we can return to the court,” in the BBC’s account.

Al Jazeera

Fox Sports similarly quoted him saying, “We have decided that the most prudent thing to do is to be cautious and not participate in Rome or Roland Garros,” and added that he would monitor his recovery before deciding when and where he would return.

The BBC reported that Alcaraz withdrew from last week’s Barcelona Open after sustaining an injury to his right wrist in his first-round victory, and that he subsequently pulled out of the Italian Open and French Open—both played on clay courts.

The New York Times put the French Open start date in Paris at May 24, and said Alcaraz’s clay-court season ended a day after he pulled out of Barcelona, then he withdrew from the Madrid Open that started April 20.

Sky Sports also framed the withdrawal as ending hopes of defending his French Open title, quoting Alcaraz’s statement that he would wait “to assess the evolution to decide when we will return to the court.”

The injury that forced Alcaraz out of Roland Garros began during his first-round match at the Barcelona Open, where the BBC said he sustained an injury to his right wrist in his first-round victory.

Fox Sports added that he “sustained the injury during the first round of the Barcelona Open last week,” where he beat Otto Virtanen, and then “subsequently pulled out of the tournament.”

BBC

Al Jazeera likewise said the injury occurred during the first round of the Barcelona Open last week, where he beat Otto Virtanen, before he pulled out.

Several outlets then traced the sequence of withdrawals: Fox Sports said the right-wrist injury ruled him out of the Italian Open as well, and that he announced his withdrawal from the Madrid Masters on April 17, increasing concerns about whether he would appear at the French Open.

The New York Times specified that Alcaraz received treatment on his right wrist and forearm during a first-round win at the Barcelona Open on April 14, and that his clay-court season ended a day later when he pulled out of that tournament.

NBC News reported that he posted on X that neither would he play in the preceding Italian Open in Rome, which he also won last year, and that he withdrew the day after being injured at the Barcelona Open.

Sky Sports and the BBC both emphasized that Alcaraz was not putting a time frame on his return, with the BBC saying he was “not putting a time frame on his return” while he assessed the situation.

In the middle of this, Alcaraz attended the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid with his wrist immobilized, which Fox News and NBC News both described as part of his ongoing management of the injury.

Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz’s long-term rival and the player who has been positioned as the leading clay-court force in the coverage, responded to the news with a mix of sympathy and emphasis on health.

“Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws from 2026 French Open at Roland-Garros with Wrist Injury There will be no three-peat for Carlos Alcaraz at Roland-Garros this year”

Bleacher Report

The BBC quoted Sinner saying, “It is very sad news,” and adding, “Being that young like he is and like I am, we need to look at our bodies first before worse things [happen].”

Fox Sports also carried Sinner’s remarks after he won a second-round match at the Madrid Open, including “It’s sad news for all of us, me being a competitor you want to play against the best players in the world and he’s definitely the best player on this surface,” and “Hopefully he can be back for Wimbledon and we all hope for great battles in the future.”

ESPN similarly quoted Sinner saying, “Tennis needs Carlos,” and added that he hoped Alcaraz would return without further injuries, while also pointing to Wimbledon as the next goal.

Sky Sports reported Sinner’s reaction in its own framing, saying he learned about the withdrawal during his post-match interview after beating Benjamin Bonzi in the second round of the Madrid Open.

The New York Times described Sinner as the clear French Open front-runner and said the French Open is the only major title Sinner needs to complete the career Grand Slam, which makes his response carry additional weight in the reporting.

Across outlets, Sinner’s message consistently returned to the idea that the body comes first, with the BBC and Fox Sports both quoting him on avoiding “worse things [happen]” and looking after their bodies.

Several outlets connected Alcaraz’s withdrawal to a shift in the men’s draw and the broader race for major titles, while still keeping the focus on his injury management.

The New York Times said Alcaraz’s withdrawal “paves the way for his rival, 24-year-old Jannik Sinner, to play some catch-up,” and described Sinner as “the clear French Open front-runner.”

Forbes

It also emphasized that the French Open is the only major title Sinner needs to complete the career Grand Slam, and that he lost the final to Alcaraz last year “despite holding three championship points.”

Fox Sports framed the Italian as someone who “may be able to capitalise on Alcaraz’s absence,” and it specified the tournament dates as “May 24 to June 7.”

NBC News said the Italian Open starts on May 6 and the French Open does so on May 18, while Sky Sports gave a different set of dates by describing the French Open as “next month” and focusing on the immediate clay-court build-up.

The BBC described the rankings implications, saying Alcaraz lost the world number one ranking to long-term rival Jannik Sinner this month and “could lose significant ground” while sidelined.

Fox News and Front Office Sports both said the withdrawal opens the door for Sinner to secure a career Grand Slam, with Front Office Sports adding that it also opens the door for Novak Djokovic to make a run at a record 25th Grand Slam title.

The New York Times added a specific historical stakes framing for Djokovic, saying one more major title would make him the first tennis player to win 25 singles majors and surpass Margaret Court.

While the core story is consistent—Alcaraz withdraws from Roland Garros due to a right wrist injury—outlets differ in the surrounding details they choose to foreground, including tournament dates, injury specifics, and how they describe the stakes.

“Carlos Alcaraz won’t be defending his Roland Garros title this spring”

Forbes

Sky Sports highlighted the match context of Alcaraz’s previous French Open run by recalling that he saved three championship points and won a “marathon contest lasting five hours and 29 minutes,” and it also said he was named Sportsman of the Year at the Laureus awards.

Fox News

The BBC, by contrast, emphasized the clay-court season arc and the ranking race, noting that Alcaraz had won clay-court titles in Monte Carlo, Rome and Roland Garros last season and that he reached the final in Barcelona.

Fox Sports and Al Jazeera both described the injury as occurring during the first round of the Barcelona Open, but Fox Sports added the detail that he beat Otto Virtanen and then pulled out of the tournament, while Al Jazeera also tied the injury to his withdrawal from the Madrid Masters on April 17.

Forbes introduced a different injury specificity by saying Alcaraz reportedly has a “full splint around his right wrist,” and it also cited Spanish TV show El Partido de COPE, quoting Angel Ga Muñiz saying, “In the sheath of the tendon, which is inflamed,” and that his wrist had been immobilised “for four days, since last Friday.”

NBC News and ESPN both described Alcaraz’s post-test decision using his quoted language about being cautious, but ESPN’s version included Sinner’s “Tennis needs Carlos” and a direct hope that Alcaraz would be back for Wimbledon.

The New York Times added a broader historical framing by discussing Djokovic’s pursuit of a record 25th major and the Open Era context beginning in 1968, while Front Office Sports focused on the opportunity for Sinner to secure a career Grand Slam and for Djokovic to chase 25.

Even the tournament date reporting diverged, with Fox Sports giving “May 24 to June 7,” the New York Times saying the French Open starts May 24 in Paris, and NBC News stating the French Open does so on May 18.

Looking ahead, the reporting consistently ties Alcaraz’s next steps to further medical evaluation and a cautious return plan, with multiple outlets quoting him about assessing evolution before deciding when he can return.

The BBC said Alcaraz posted on Instagram that “we have decided that the most prudent thing to do is to be cautious and not participate in Rome or Roland Garros, while we assess the situation to determine when we can return to the court,” and it added that he had tests to determine the severity of the issue.

Fox Sports described his approach as shutting down his clay season after he received the results of tests on his right wrist, and it quoted him saying, “This is a difficult time for me, but I’m sure we will come out of it stronger,” while saying his team would monitor his recovery.

Sky Sports reported that at the Laureus awards he said, “The next [medical] test will be crucial,” and it also quoted him saying, “We'll see,” when asked about Paris.

Al Jazeera said he and his team would monitor his recovery before deciding when and where he would return, and it also reiterated that he would not play at this year’s tournament as he recovers from a wrist injury.

The New York Times added that Alcaraz told reporters at the Laureus Awards in Madrid that he would not rush back from the injury for the sake of defending his French Open title because it could harm his longterm prospects.

ESPN and Fox Sports both included Sinner’s hope that Alcaraz would be back by Wimbledon, with ESPN quoting Sinner’s line that “The next goal I guess for him, and I hope so, it’s Wimbledon (in June).”

Finally, the calendar stakes are framed differently depending on the outlet, but all point to Wimbledon as the next major moment, with Fox Sports explicitly saying Sinner hoped Alcaraz would be back for Wimbledon and the BBC describing Wimbledon as the likely target for a return after missing the clay-court Grand Slam.