Carlos Alcaraz has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming French Open tournament as a result of a right wrist injury, marking the third consecutive year he will not compete in the event. Alcaraz also confirmed his absence from the Italian Open in Rome, which he had triumphed in the previous year. The world No. 2 sustained the wrist injury during a match at the Barcelona Open and subsequently pulled out of the tournament. Following his withdrawal from the Madrid Open, Alcaraz attended the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, where he was honored as the world sportsman of the year with his wrist immobilized. After undergoing further medical examinations, Alcaraz expressed his decision not to participate in both the Rome and Roland Garros tournaments. Despite the setback, he remains optimistic about his recovery and future performances.
Having started the year impressively by defeating Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final, Alcaraz became the youngest male player to achieve a career Grand Slam. However, he has since claimed only one title in Doha in February and will miss out on competing in the major clay-court events. Alcaraz relinquished his No. 1 ranking to Jannik Sinner after losing to him in the Monte Carlo final earlier this month.
Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz’s tennis rival, expressed his hope for Alcaraz’s swift return to the sport. Sinner emphasized the importance of Alcaraz’s presence in tennis and wished for his complete recovery before making a competitive comeback, possibly aiming for the Wimbledon tournament in June.
In a separate development, Victoria Mboko from Burlington, Ontario, and Gabriel Diallo from Montreal have exited the Madrid Open following their respective losses in the second round of the clay court tournament. Mboko suffered a comprehensive defeat against Caty McNally, managing only one break point and facing multiple challenges on her serve. Diallo was forced to withdraw from his match against Elmer Moller due to an injury while trailing in the game. Both players encountered difficulties during their matches, with Mboko’s serve being a particular point of struggle.
Mboko, aged 19, made her Madrid debut after recovering from dental surgery, which had previously caused her to miss the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. Although she excelled in previous WTA 1000 events on hardcourt surfaces, her performance in Madrid was not as successful. Diallo, who was seeded 32nd in the tournament, faced a setback after calling a medical timeout and eventually retiring from the match against Moller.
Both Mboko and Diallo had received first-round byes as seeded players in the Madrid Open. The Italian Open is scheduled to commence on May 5, followed by the French Open on May 18.