Carlos Alcaraz Out of Wimbledon and Queen’s With Wrist Problem

Sinner boosted as Alcaraz pulls out of Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz’s absence opens the door for Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon and the French Open. Alcaraz, 23, won the Australian Open in January to complete the career Grand Slam.

Carlos Alcaraz will miss Wimbledon after failing to recover from a wrist injury picked up in Barcelona. The 23-year-old says he will miss the tournament but is focused on returning soon...

Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of Wimbledon after announcing on Tuesday that his wrist injury has not healed enough for him to compete. The two-time champion will not defend his title this year.

“My recovery is going well, and I'm feeling much better, but unfortunately, I'm still not ready to play. I am obliged to withdraw from both Queen's and Wimbledon,” said Spaniard Alcaraz, who lost to world number one Jannik Sinner in last year's final.

“These are two really special tournaments for me, and I'll miss them a lot. We'll keep working to come back as soon as possible.”  

Alcaraz picked up the wrist injury in the first round of the Barcelona Open. He later withdrew from Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros, where he is the reigning two-time champion.  

The world number two became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam in January after winning the Australian Open. The 23-year-old has a 22-3 record this season and also won the title in Doha.  

This will be only the third Grand Slam Alcaraz has missed since his main draw debut at the 2021 Australian Open. He also withdrew from the 2023 edition in Melbourne with a hamstring injury.

Alcaraz’s wrist injury means his rivalry with Italian world number one Jannik Sinner is on hold for now. Sinner, 24, is the favourite to win both Paris and London.

He dropped to world number two after losing to Sinner in the Monte Carlo Masters final on 12 April.

Alcaraz won Roland Garros in 2024 and 2025, giving him seven Grand Slam titles. In last year’s final he saved three championship points against Sinner in what became the longest French Open final ever played.

Mi recuperación va por buen camino y me siento mucho mejor, pero desgraciadamente aún no estoy listo para poder jugar y por eso tengo que renunciar a la gira de hierba en Queen’s y Wimbledon. Son dos torneos realmente especiales para mí y los echaré mucho de menos. Seguimos… pic.twitter.com/6IL0APkv5G

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) May 19, 2026

Sinner eyes French Open opportunity

With Alcaraz out, Jannik Sinner has a chance to make the most of the opening at Roland Garros. The Italian has never won the French Open, and this year’s tournament runs from 24 May to 7 June.

Alcaraz claimed his first Wimbledon title in 2023 by beating seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the final. He defended the trophy the next year with another win over the Serb.

The 2026 Wimbledon Championships are scheduled for 29 June to 12 July.

“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,” Sinner had said after Alcaraz's withdrawal from the French Open.

“Being that young, like he is and like I am, we need to look at our bodies first before worse things (happen).”

Last month, Alcaraz said he would not rush back and risk returning too soon.

“I'd rather come back maybe a bit later, but in great shape, than come back quickly and risk making this injury worse,” he explained.

“I have a long career ahead of me, so I'm not afraid to miss what I have to miss in order to recover as well as possible.”