Alcaraz makes tough admission as injury puts major in doubt

Defending two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz has put his participation at Roland Garros in doubt because of a right wrist injury.

Medical tests in the next few days will determine whether Alcaraz will be able to play in the grand slam tournament in a month, he revealed.

“We’ll see,” he said when asked whether he’ll play. The Spaniard was at the Laureus Awards in Madrid with his right wrist immobilised. He pulled out of the Madrid Open last week.

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Carlos Alcaraz accepts the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award, with a cast on his wrist.

“The next (medical) test will be crucial,” the seven-time grand slam champion told Spanish television channel TVE.

“We’ve been trying to do everything we can do to make sure that this test goes well. I’m trying to be very patient. But we are good, we are just waiting a little bit. We have a few tests in the next few days and then we will see how the injury is, and what the next steps will be.”

No.2-ranked Alcaraz withdrew in Barcelona a day after he had his wrist treated during his opening match, a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Otto Virtanen.

The next tournament after Madrid is the Italian Open, which he won last year.

“For now, I’ve been trying to stay positive, to stay upbeat, even though these days have become a bit too long,” said Alcaraz, who was awarded Laureus’ world sportsman of the year.

The 22-year-old knows he has a long career ahead of him, and admits he would prefer to be patient with his recovery.

“I have a long career ahead of me. Forcing for Roland-Garros could penalise me enormously in the future,” he said.

“We’ll see what the exams show. But I prefer to come back a bit later rather than rush.”

Alcaraz has won the last two grand slams, Australia and the US Open, and won Roland-Garros in 2024 and 2025.

At full strength, he would be the red hot favourite to win his eighth grand slam title in France this year.

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Carol R. Alexander is passionate about decoding the complexities of science and technology for everyday readers. With a background in physics and a keen interest in emerging technologies, she specializes in writing about breakthroughs in space exploration, artificial intelligence, and green innovation. At Muscat Chronicle, Carol’s mission is to make scientific knowledge engaging, accessible, and thought-provoking for all. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys stargazing and mentoring students in STEM fields.