Carlos Alcaraz absence from Wimbledon explained after tennis star
Wrist injury denies Alcaraz: The upcoming Wimbledon Championships will undoubtedly miss the presence of two-time winner Carlos Alcaraz. The 23-year-old Spanish star is forced to sit out this edition of the tournament as he rehabilitates an ongoing wrist issue caused by tendon inflammation, a condition likely triggered by the repetitive strain of executing heavy topspin forehands.
How long he's been out for: This setback first caused Alcaraz to opt out of defending his French Open crown following his withdrawal from the Barcelona Open in April due to right wrist soreness. He subsequently announced his complete absence from the grass-court stretch, aiming for a potential competitive return before the US Open begins later this summer.
What Alcaraz said: Reflecting on his situation, Alcaraz stated: "My recovery is going well and I’m feeling much better, but unfortunately I’m still not ready to compete, which is why I have to withdraw from the grass-court swing at Queen’s and Wimbledon. They are two truly special tournaments for me and I will miss them a lot. We’ll keep working to come back as soon as possible!’"
Why Alcaraz avoided surgery: Because wrist ailments can be notoriously precarious for tennis professionals and threaten to become chronic, Alcaraz is wisely choosing a highly cautious path back to full fitness. Although he has avoided surgery, the world No. 2 and seven-time major champion has spent a number of weeks wearing a protective cast to keep the joint completely immobilised.
Alcaraz's Wimbledon record: Alcaraz previously secured his two trophies at SW19 by overcoming Novak Djokovic in back-to-back championship matches, including a memorable five-set triumph in 2023 and a dominant win in 2024. During the previous season, however, his unbeaten streak in Grand Slam finals ended when he lost to friendly rival Jannik Sinner in a four-set battle.
A historic 2026 moment: Earlier this term, the young phenom made history as the youngest male player to achieve a career grand slam by conquering Djokovic to claim his maiden Australian Open title. With Alcaraz on the sidelines, Jannik Sinner has firmly established himself as the clear frontrunner to lift the Wimbledon trophy once again.
The favourite to win Wimbledon: The 24-year-old reigning champion, who defeated Alcaraz in the previous year's final, currently stands leagues ahead of the rest of the field when his Spanish counterpart is out of the picture. Sinner has put together an extraordinary opening half of the year, achieving an unprecedented clean sweep of the initial five ATP Masters 1000 events including Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome.
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