Two-time reigning French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz said on Friday he will not play at this year’s tournament as he recovers from a wrist injury.
“We have decided that the most prudent thing to do is to be cautious and not participate in Rome or Roland Garros,” Alcaraz said on social media.
“It’s a complicated moment for me, but I’m sure we’ll come out stronger from this,” the Spaniard added, saying that he and his team would monitor his recovery before deciding when and where he would return.
Alcaraz sustained the injury during the first round of the Barcelona Open last week, where he beat Otto Virtanen but subsequently pulled out of the tournament.
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The 22-year-old announced his withdrawal from the Madrid Masters on April 17, increasing concerns over whether he would be able to appear at the French Open.
Alcaraz became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam in January with his triumph at the Australian Open. He holds a 22-3 record this season and also won a title in Doha.
Ranked second in the world, Alcaraz lost top spot following his defeat by Jannik Sinner in the Monte Carlo Masters final on April 12.
The seven-time Grand Slam winner, an expert on clay, triumphed at Roland Garros in 2024 and 2025. He saved three championship points against Sinner in last year’s final.
Published on Apr 24, 2026
![Alcaraz plans to play full clay-court season ahead of French Open title defence Carlos Alcaraz said Sunday it “feels amazing” to be back on clay and that he is aiming to play in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome before his Roland Garros title defence.The world number one, who gets his bid for a second straight Monte Carlo Masters title underway next week, has never played a complete European clay-court season.He also won the Italian Open last year, with his only defeat on clay in 2025 coming against Holger Rune in the Barcelona Open final.“I miss clay every time that the clay season is over. I just miss it,” Alcaraz told reporters in Monaco.“It’s been [a] long [time] since Roland Garros that I just haven’t touched clay.“The first practices that I got, I just said to my team, ‘It’s time to get to the dirty socks again’. It feels amazing to be back on clay.”Alcaraz won the Monte Carlo title on only his second appearance at the tournament 12 months ago, but skipped the Madrid Open.Last year was also only the second time he had played in Rome, but this campaign he is hoping to play a full schedule.“That’s my idea,” said the Spaniard. “Obviously the clay season is really…..it’s too demanding, physically, mentally.“But obviously I would say the week of Barcelona should be the week that I have to take off.“But Barcelona is a really important tournament for me.“A special feeling that I just used to play (there) when I was under 14. A lot of friends there, playing at home, it’s always great.“So let’s see how it’s going to be, the body and mentally.”ALSO READ | Uppal confident that Indian women have enough depth to make it to playoffsAlcaraz will face either Stan Wawrinka or Sebastian Baez in his opening match in the second round in the principality, having received a first-round bye as the top seed.He practised with three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka on Saturday and hopes to face him for the first time before the Swiss retires at the end of the year.“It’s incredible to see him around, still having him around.“I will try to enjoy as much as I can his matches, the matches he plays until the end of the year.“But hopefully (I) play against him at least once and say that I just played a match against a legend like Stan.”Published on Apr 05, 2026 #Alcaraz #plans #play #full #claycourt #season #ahead #French #Open #title #defence](https://i1.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/drdfe3/article70827632.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/French_Open_Tennis_32194.jpg?ssl=1 "Alcaraz plans to play full clay-court season ahead of French Open title defence Carlos Alcaraz said Sunday it “feels amazing” to be back on clay and that he is aiming to play in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome before his Roland Garros title defence.The world number one, who gets his bid for a second straight Monte Carlo Masters title underway next week, has never played a complete European clay-court season.He also won the Italian Open last year, with his only defeat on clay in 2025 coming against Holger Rune in the Barcelona Open final.“I miss clay every time that the clay season is over. I just miss it,” Alcaraz told reporters in Monaco.“It’s been [a] long [time] since Roland Garros that I just haven’t touched clay.“The first practices that I got, I just said to my team, ‘It’s time to get to the dirty socks again’. It feels amazing to be back on clay.”Alcaraz won the Monte Carlo title on only his second appearance at the tournament 12 months ago, but skipped the Madrid Open.Last year was also only the second time he had played in Rome, but this campaign he is hoping to play a full schedule.“That’s my idea,” said the Spaniard. “Obviously the clay season is really…..it’s too demanding, physically, mentally.“But obviously I would say the week of Barcelona should be the week that I have to take off.“But Barcelona is a really important tournament for me.“A special feeling that I just used to play (there) when I was under 14. A lot of friends there, playing at home, it’s always great.“So let’s see how it’s going to be, the body and mentally.”ALSO READ | Uppal confident that Indian women have enough depth to make it to playoffsAlcaraz will face either Stan Wawrinka or Sebastian Baez in his opening match in the second round in the principality, having received a first-round bye as the top seed.He practised with three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka on Saturday and hopes to face him for the first time before the Swiss retires at the end of the year.“It’s incredible to see him around, still having him around.“I will try to enjoy as much as I can his matches, the matches he plays until the end of the year.“But hopefully (I) play against him at least once and say that I just played a match against a legend like Stan.”Published on Apr 05, 2026 #Alcaraz #plans #play #full #claycourt #season #ahead #French #Open #title #defence")