While the accolades continue to mount for Carlos Alcaraz both on and off the court, the Spaniard remains indefinitely sidelined after suffering a right wrist injury in his opening match in the Barcelona Open.
Alcaraz, who has already made history this year by becoming the youngest men’s player to complete the Career Grand Slam and by claiming his first Laureus World Sportsman of the Year honour, still does not have a fixed timeline for his return. The uncertainty has already forced him to withdraw from the Madrid Open as well.
No Clear Timeline for Carlos Alcaraz to Return
There are growing concerns that his participation in the French Open could also be in doubt, with the tournament now just five weeks away. Addressing the situation at the Laureus press conference, Alcaraz acknowledged the long-term perspective he is taking with his recovery:
“I have a long career ahead of me, with many years to go, and forcing myself to play at this Roland Garros could damage my future, so as I said, we’ll see how things go in the test and then we’ll decide based on that.”
He also emphasized the uncertainty surrounding his recovery timeline:
“I can’t give a specific timeframe because setting a fixed return date could mean it ends up being earlier or later. At the moment, we don’t know yet, but what I can guarantee is that I will do everything possible to return as soon as I can.”
Recurring Clay Court Concerns
Despite clay being arguably his strongest surface, injuries during this part of the season have become a recurring issue for Alcaraz. Since 2022, he has been forced to miss at least one preparatory Masters event leading up to Roland Garros each year.
Remarkably, even with those setbacks, Alcaraz has still managed to win the French Open twice—lifting the title in 2024 and 2025. His 2025 triumph was particularly dramatic, as he saved three championship points to secure the title.
As a result, his fitness heading into this year’s edition remains one of the biggest storylines in the sport. With a potential historic three-peat on the line in Paris, the tennis world now waits alongside Alcaraz to see how his recovery unfolds.
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images