Carlos Alcaraz struggling with injury ahead of French Open defence
A cast in Madrid, and no promise for Paris
According to Ben Morse’s report for TNT Sports, Alcaraz said at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid that the next medical check on his wrist will determine whether he can defend his title at Roland Garros. He arrived wearing a cast, collected the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award, and made it clear that no decision has been taken yet. “The next test will be crucial,” he said.
Why Alcaraz is ready to wait
According to ATP Staff’s report on his Madrid withdrawal, the first scans after Barcelona showed the problem was more serious than Alcaraz and his team initially expected. That helps explain the caution in his latest comments. He has said he would rather return later in proper condition than push through pain now, and he put it bluntly when he warned that “Forcing things at this Roland Garros could really harm me for future tournaments.”
Rome has become the real deadline
According to the 2026 ATP Tour calendar, the Italian Open in Rome runs from May 6 to May 17, and Roland Garros follows from May 24 to June 7. That makes Rome the last meaningful stop for Alcaraz if he wants match rhythm before Paris. If he cannot play there either, he would go into the French Open without a competitive match since his opening round win over Otto Virtanen in Barcelona.
Sinner's return to No. 1 raises the pressure
According to ATP Tour’s rankings report after Monte Carlo, Jannik Sinner moved back to world No. 1 after winning the title there and now leads Alcaraz by 110 ranking points. Alcaraz, meanwhile, already made history earlier this season by completing the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open and becoming the youngest man in the Open Era to do it. The bigger picture around him is still enormous, but the immediate question is much smaller and more urgent: whether his wrist will allow him to play in Paris at the level required to defend the title.
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Sources: TNT Sports, ATP Tour, Laureus, and Roland Garros.
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